by Tara Brown
I did. He was saying he couldn’t be with me if I couldn’t learn to shut the hell up. I nodded, swallowing all of the hateful things sitting on the tip of my tongue.
He pointed. “The look says it all. You don’t have to say everything you’re thinking all the time. I know you don’t approve or understand, but my hope is that you will. There are plenty of things I don’t understand about your world and you would never know it. I understand we are from two very different lives. That’s what you do when you love someone.”
I nodded and turned back to the door. I opened it and looked at the backs of the two men. “I’m sorry.” I closed the door and looked back at him. “A heads up might have been nice.”
I stalked to my closet to get dressed. When I closed the door, I wondered if it was karma for being so mean about Stain-A-Melena? I had been so cruel to her that she had left our school. Was the scrape and the guards and everything else actually penance for my bad behavior? My mom had believed in karma. I remembered that from her journal when she was a kid.
I pulled on a super-sexy, three-quarter-sleeve dress with a bunched square chest and an empire waist. I needed something to hide the fat on my midsection. It was odd how Aiden hadn’t even noticed it. I had tried to suck in, but there were times I hadn’t been able to. I pulled on my Spanx, certain no one would be seeing them anyway. I would be snorting cut-up Advil off the counter before I would have sex again for a while. I didn’t want to talk about it, but it did hurt. It made me think about the John Mellencamp song that Hattie made me listen to a thousand times, “Hurt So Good.” It was true. The song must have been about sex.
I left the closet to find my bed stripped and the door to my bedroom open. I walked out past the two guys, stopping and turning. “I’m Finley.”
They both looked at me, confused. One man bowed slightly. “Isaac Van Kempt.” The other man frowned at him and then gave me a look. “Tracy McConnell.”
I smiled wide, noticing they weren’t all that old or mean looking when you saw them beyond their hard faces. “Nice to meet you both.”
They looked lost but smiled. It looked like it hurt to do it. I turned and walked to the laundry room. Aiden was starting the wash. “What are you doing?”
He looked at me, and I could still see his annoyance. “Don’t try to be friends with them. It makes them feel uncomfortable. Don’t look at the help and don’t try to make them feel better about their job. They are paid for it, not doing it out of loyalty to me. They are loyal, but this is their work. You looking down on them makes it seem as though you are better than them and gracing them with your friendship out of guilt for everything they do for you. It is a business transaction. Kindness is expected but BFFs, as you always say, is not.”
I sighed. “Whatever! Why are you doing my laundry?”
He looked confused. “Do you know how to do laundry?”
I shook my head. He smiled. “I do. Regardless of a privileged life, I can do simple menial work—you should see my capabilities as a brick mason.”
It made me smile. He smiled back. “There it is. I knew you still had a smile.” He looked at my dress. “Why are you dressed like that?”
“Christmas party in an hour.”
He started the wash and led me back to my room. I tried not to look in their eyes when we passed the guards. I was never ever going to be good at the whole having guards thingy. We had always had a maid. She was always doing the cooking and baking. This was the first time I’d ever had guards though. I felt like a prisoner.
He finished putting all his clothes back on. It was nice to watch him dress, but I had the oddest desire to take his clothes off as soon as he got them on.
Isaac opened the door after a light rap. “There is a Miss Jessica Roze here to see you both.”
My gaze narrowed, making Aiden laugh. “Please, let her in.”
Jessica came into my room, freezing as soon as her eyes met his. “Okay, so the dudes outside the door are cool?”
I shook my head. “No, but they’re a permanent thing.”
She looked past me at Aiden and then at my stripped bed. Her face pinched a bit. I shook my head. “We aren’t ready. Can we meet you at the front door in like fifteen?”
She swallowed hard. “Okay, whatever.” She turned and walked back out. I didn’t feel much like going out.
Aiden wrapped himself around me. “When we get to the house in Andorra la Vella, you will see how normal my life really is. I go to school, I spend time with my family, I ski, I hike, and I eat and sleep like a regular person. The guards are for when I am out of Andorra.”
I didn’t believe him. The images of the cute guy in the jeans and tee shirts seemed like it was a friggin’ year ago. “Where were they before?”
“Around. They stayed hidden for me.”
“Can they do that again?”
He laughed, “No. They prefer to be close.”
I went to my bed and curled up in the huge comforter. “I don’t really want to go out.” I didn’t say the part that included him being a prince and me doing a ton of explaining.
He curled up around me. “We can go back to my hotel room and stay there for the weekend.”
I looked back at him. “No. We have to go to this party. I just wish you were Aiden the new guy still.”
He kissed my neck. “Me too.”
The party was actually fun. Everyone was dancing and drinking when we arrived… with the guards. Thankfully, him showing up at school made it so everyone knew. I didn’t have to explain. They all knew and thought he was the most badass person they’d ever met. The girls had more cleavage and makeup then I recalled them ever having, and the guys were all about their dad’s portfolios and drinking beer from a glass. It was funny to watch them try so hard. I understood why he thought my hatred of him being a prince was so refreshing.
I was literally alone in that.
Well, not entirely alone. Jess stood next to me and sighed. “This sucks. Now that they all know, he’s like a celeb.”
“But watch how he is. He’s just, like, normal and shit.”
She nudged me. “Did you give him something extra special today?”
I winced. “Afterward, he stripped my bed. I’m so embarrassed.”
She wrapped an arm around me and whispered in my ear. “I’m just going to say, Stain-A-Melena.”
I laughed. “I know. God is punishing me for that shit.”
She scoffed. “You don’t believe in God. Don't you think it’s weird no one made a nickname for Danny when him and Melena did it? The stain on the couch was his too. Why did the girl end up with the name?”
I shrugged. “I don't know.”
“Feminism is a joke. So did it hurt?”
“You guys haven’t done it yet?”
Jess shook her head, fighting the pained expression on her face.
I smiled. “Yeah. But it hurt in a good way. It was awesome actually. I’m pumped that I never just lost it ‘cause I had to. This is gonna sound so cheesy, but it was special.” I covered my face. “Oh my God, I can’t believe I said that.”
She hugged me tighter. “Me either, actually. But I’m glad you did. I don’t feel like such a nerd for saying I’m scared. He wants to so bad, but I’m scared.”
I lifted my completely flushed face. “Make him sweat a little longer. We’ve been off and on since last summer, and Aiden’s been sweating, let me tell you.”
“Yes, he did. You know he freaked out about the ring, right?”
“What?”
She nodded. “He left your room on Thanksgiving and Hattie told me she followed him. He LOST his mind on the phone in the yard. I guess his mom was the one who told Jack to give him that ring. Hattie listened. He threatened to leave the family and disown them all if you wouldn’t take him back after that fiasco. He was freaking mad. He smashed his phone and stomped off like a nutbar.”
It made me feel a little better. He hadn’t just left. I gave her a look. “When did Hattie tell you this
?”
She wrinkled her lips. “Yesterday. When I stole your phone because he had sent an ass load of texts saying he was coming back to town and desperately needed to see you.”
My jaw dropped. “You stole my phone and called Hattie? I thought you were on my side.”
“I am and so is Hattie. She figured he would never be back. His family would win. When Hattie left after Thanksgiving, she asked me to call her if he came back. I called yesterday and told her that he had messaged and phoned, and she said to hide the phone and make sure me and Linna kept you away from him. She thinks he will never pick you over his country and family.”
I was stunned. “That’s so mean.”
“It’s not.” She shook her head. “He loves you, but she’s worried that you are in over your head. But I know you better than she does. I think he’ll pick you, and I think you two will figure this out. So we stole your phone and handled your depression. You were all poopsocking in there on WOW. I knew if you saw him, you would be crushed that he saw you like that. Or you would hide in the house and never leave. I had to get you cleaned up and looking like it had never fazed you. I told Hattie that you needed him. I just couldn’t let you do it in your crusty clothes with pizza stuck to your ass.”
I nudged her. “Thanks, man.”
She looked over at him. “He’s not a bad guy, just a dumb one. They all are. They don’t realize that silence to us is the end of the relationship. I think he figured that until he could fix it, he wasn’t going to show his face. I don’t think he realized leaving you hanging like that was killing you.”
I swallowed hard. “I don’t know what he thought. I don’t know what he’s thinking now. But I have some bad news. You and I are spending our Christmas with the royal family.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “What? No. I can’t do that. I have plans with Aaron.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Big plans.”
I wrinkled my nose. “You can’t leave me hanging.”
Linna came strolling up, looking drunk.
“So did the gay guy convert for you?”
She scoffed. “He wasn't gay and he has poor shoes. So I clearly can’t get with him.”
Jessica gave us a both a look. “What’s poor shoes?”
Linna flipped her hair. “You know, when you meet a hot guy and look down and, BAM, ugly twenty-dollar shoes. Happens to everyone.” She smiled wide. “Okay, you have to get me a prince.”
I laughed, mostly at the face Jess was making after learning what poor shoes were. I looked at Linna. “Well, you have arrived in the nick of time because I need some princely help with something.”
A puzzled look crossed her face. “What?”
“He’s invited me to his family’s house in Andorra for Christmas. I can’t go alone.”
Her blue eyes shot open. “Oh my God. You have to take me.”
I gave Jess a glance, but she shrugged. She wasn’t caving. She was staying and losing her virginity with Aaron. Damn. I smiled at Linna. “Yup. I want you to come.”
She squealed, making Aiden look over. She ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He didn’t embrace her. His hands stayed at his sides as he shot daggers at me. I winked and walked off.
I found Carter in the living room with his mom. She smiled wide, more drunk than any of us. “Finley!” She wrapped herself around me, then pulled me back. “When are you ever going to give my poor baby a chance?”
I looked past her at Carter, who was laughing. “She’s dating a prince now, Mom. Pretty sure I missed the boat on that one.”
His mom pinched my cheeks. “If anyone could snag a prince, it’s you, Fin.”
I laughed. If she only knew.
Carter wrapped a thick arm around my neck. “Come have a seat on Santa’s lap and tell him what you want for Christmas.”
He pulled me down on the couch, onto his lap. I smiled. “Well, Santa, I think I want my dad to stop hounding me about school and pay for me to backpack Europe for a year while I figure out what I want to be when I grow up.”
He nodded. “I think your dad should be able to take care of the first one.”
A hand grabbed my arm, pulling me off his lap. Carter’s eyes narrowed. “And that guy there can tell you what you’ll be doing for the second one.” He winked at Aiden, who didn’t look very excited.
I laughed nervously. I didn’t know what the problem was, but it was obvious there was one. Aiden pulled me. “Come on. I need to take you home.”
I scowled at him. “Why?”
He lifted his eyebrows dubiously. “Seriously? I come in the living room, after hearing the unfortunate news from the girl who betrayed you last summer that she will be the one accompanying us on our trip, and find you in the arms of another guy?”
“It’s not another guy. It’s Carter. And I wasn’t in his arms. I was sitting on his lap. I’ve known him since we went to Montessori together at three.”
He escorted me to the door. “I’m fairly certain he didn’t have playschool on his mind when he was looking down the top of your dress.”
“He looks down the top of everyone’s dress.”
He growled. “Not yours.”
I pulled my arm from his as Carter’s words got very real.
Last week, my Instagram was down and my friends had to describe their lunch to me: #Lame #HardToUnderstandWhatRouladeLooksLike #CurseYouInstagram.
Chapter Fourteen
Sister Mary
I sat in the window, watching the snow fall. It had gotten deeper than normal and I felt trapped in it. Trapped by the snow and by what Carter had said and by the way Aiden had looked when he’d seen me sitting on Carter’s lap.
Jess came in and sat with me. “Dude, Carter said he was provoking Aiden last night.”
I looked at her. “What? He said that?”
She nodded. “Yeah, he was laughing at how easily Aiden flipped out about you sitting on his lap.”
“He did it on purpose?”
She nodded. I felt bad. “He said something weird to me too. He said Aiden would control my future and tell me what I was going to be when I grew up.”
She scoffed. “Carter’s being a dick ‘cause he’s always had a thing for you. That’s it. Aiden is a nice guy, trust me. I doubt he’s interested in making you into something you’re not.”
She ate her words five minutes later when the doorbell rang.
Aiden came bounding into the house, excited and escorting a girl, a pretty girl. She had shiny brown hair and soft brown eyes and huge lashes. She was an olive-complexioned goddess.
He held a hand at the small of her back and I swallowed hard. He was paying me back for being dumb enough to fall for Carter’s little act.
Aiden looked at the girl and beamed. “This is my sister, Mary.”
Sister?
She curtseyed slightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She had the same beautiful accent. I realized quickly they looked alike, apart from the eyes. His hair was that shiny brown and his skin was olive like hers. She had the same square jaw, but on her, it was delicate.
He held a hand out to Jess. “This is Jessica.” She put her hand out. The girl took it and shook, but it looked weird, like she wasn’t accustomed to doing it. She seemed feeble and weak. Aiden smiled at me. “And this is my Finley.”
The smile she gave me seemed like maybe it was layered. A little happiness with a lot of apprehension and a bit of skepticism and maybe a touch of self-importance. I held out my hand. She took it, and when I squeezed and shook it, she just let her hand lay there limp in mine. It was weird. I almost felt like I should turn it over and kiss it.
That would happen when she kissed my ass. Aiden gave me a look. “You all right?”
I nodded. “Just tired. It’s lovely to meet you, Mary.”
“Likewise. Your home is beautiful.”
I looked around. “Oh, thanks. It’s my dad’s house, not mine.”
She laughed. Suddenly, I realized she was nervous. Jesus, what had he said abou
t me?
Aiden looked at Mary. “You see?”
She nodded. “Mother will fry her up and eat her for breakfast.”
My jaw dropped.
Aiden nodded at his sister. “I’ve brought her here for a little etiquette training.”
My face had to be a thousand shades of red because I felt like my skin was melting off. My gaze narrowed, but I realized I was being tested. Screw them. I smiled. “Actually, I won’t be making it to Andorra. I’m sorry. I realized that I hadn’t finished all of my applications and being a late applicant, I’m going to have spend the winter break doing them. A lot have huge essays.”
I wasn’t going to be controlled.
Mary looked back at her brother. His eyes were steely and mean. He didn’t scare me. I was ready to throw down at any second.
He gave Jess a kind look, pretending to be fine with my news or something. “Can you get my sister a warm drink? It’s quite cold outside.”
Jess pointed. “The kitchen’s this way.” Mary smiled; her look was frozen too. We all were going to play pretend nice.
When she was gone, he looked at me harshly. “What was that?”
“What was the sneak attack for?”
“I needed her to see you as you are so she knows what to help you on. If I had warned you, you would have been that sweet and charming girl who worked at Lakeside all summer long. So polite to everyone and kind. Your cheeks would have flushed and Mary would have fallen in love with you. I need her to help you. The only way is if she’s sees how badly behaved you actually are.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Like a child, you mean?”
“Like a petulant child.”
I couldn’t remember what petulant meant, but I knew it was bad. He was doing his growling thing. I pointed a finger at his nose. “I am not taking princess classes from your little sister. I didn’t even know you had a sister. You said brothers!”
“You only asked about brothers, and yes, you are. You’re going to learn how to be polite but the right way. This pretend sweet act you have is nonsense and you can’t actually keep it up. Look at you, sticking fingers in my face and being rude to my sister, who you don’t even know.”