The Price of Love (A Price Novel Book 1)

by Craft, Maggi

  Milly and I had gone to the store to stock up on toiletries and junk food when we noticed three girls in front of us looking through the magazines in the checkout line, and Milly elbowed me and nodded at them. They were looking at that damn ad. Or I should say they were staring at my boyfriend in his underwear and making a scene. Really?

  I looked at Milly and rolled my eyes. She smiled and whispered, “At least they have good taste.”

  That didn’t make me feel much better, but it wasn’t like I could do anything about it. So, like all things I found unpleasant, I chose to ignore it.

  We hadn’t even gotten all of our food put away in the dorm when my phone rang. It was Slayde. He sounded really down. “Well, guess who’s playing Jake Brandon?” I immediately felt terrible for him. I’d never even thought about the fact that the part might go to someone else.

  “Uh, who?” I asked quietly, walking into the bathroom for privacy.

  “Me!” he shouted so loudly that it scared me, and I almost dropped my phone into the toilet. He was laughing. “Ha, I got you, didn’t I? You thought I didn’t get it.” He sounded so excited, and I was happy for him, but I was still recovering from him yelling in my ear.

  “You definitely got me. That’s great, babe. I’m so happy for you. So, what does this mean exactly?”

  “I don’t know all the details yet, but at least I’ll be in LA. I will work a lot, but I can see you all the time.”

  I smiled. That did make me happy. I would just have to deal with his kissing other women later.

  *****

  Once they started filming, Slayde was extremely busy and worked long days. But he kept his word. He spent every free second he had with me. If he had to work on the weekends, I would go to the set with him and study in his bus while he worked. He had bought a huge bus to rest in while he was working. He said the little trailer the studio provided made him claustrophobic. Whatever. I didn’t think he needed it, but it came in handy when I was there.

  At school, I was getting ready for finals and felt so ready for Christmas break. Slayde would be finished filming then and have a few weeks off. He and I were going with his family to Breckenridge to snow ski for the holidays.

  My mother hadn’t even stopped what she was doing to argue when I called and told her I was going to Colorado with Slayde and would not be going to my grandmother’s for Christmas like I had my whole life. I had prepared myself for that and told myself I wasn’t going to let it bother me that she was such a crappy mother. I just accepted that that was who she was, and nothing I could do would ever change that. I would have rather spent my holidays with Slayde and his family, anyway.

  I was going to get to see my little sister Isabelle after Christmas. It had been almost nine months since I had seen her, and I missed her dearly. Isabelle was the only one of my three sisters that was anything like me. She was also short and thin, with the same green eyes and blond hair as me, but she usually kept hers in a cute little bob. You would definitely look at us and know we were sisters. She and I were going to New York with Slayde before we had to go back for spring semester. I just had to get through the next three weeks and take my finals before I was a free woman for four whole weeks.

  *****

  I was on my own for my birthday because Slayde was out of town. He had had to fly to Curaçao to film a scene for the movie. But I had never been a big fan of my birthday, anyway. I had never had a reason to be. My mom worked so much when I was a kid that I was lucky if she even remembered, so it was just another day to me. I knew Milly wouldn’t let me get away without some type of acknowledgment, though.

  I woke up to find Milly already gone. I thought, That’s strange — we usually went to class together, and I had thought we could have a birthday coffee beforehand. Maybe Milly forgot what day it is. Shrugging, I went into the bathroom to get ready for class.

  When I got out of the shower and sat down to put on my makeup, I noticed a card on my dresser. I knew it hadn’t been there the night before.

  Happy birthday, baby! I’m sorry I can’t be there with you, but I promise I will make it up to you. I love you! Have a great day.

  P.S. I left you a little happy in your bottom drawer. XOXO

  Love, S

  Slayde wouldn’t be back for a few more days. I did wish he were there with me, but that was because I always wished that. Today wasn’t different just because it was my birthday. Opening the drawer, I found a blue box from Tiffany. Inside was a beautiful bracelet with an A engraved on one side of a charm and ZSP & EAS forever on the other.

  My eyes filled with tears. I was the luckiest girl in the world. Even though he wasn’t there with me on my birthday, he loved me enough to make sure I knew how he felt first thing that morning. This is going to be a great day. I put on my bracelet, finished getting dressed, and hurried to class.

  Milly, Karen, and Josh were all waiting for me in our normal little section of the classroom. They all stopped talking, smiled, and watched me walk over to them, which meant they had been talking about me. Milly was smiling the most widely. She must have put the card and bracelet in our room for Slayde. “Happy birthday!” they all said together. I couldn’t help but smile.

  We still had a few minutes before class; Milly and Karen were admiring my bracelet when Eric sat next to us. I hadn’t spoken to him since the incident in my dorm room.

  He must have started listening to Milly and Karen talk about my bracelet, because he laughed under his breath, which pissed me off.

  “What are you laughing at, Eric?” I knew I should have ignored him, but I wasn’t in the mood to let him get away with his arrogance today.

  “Nothing, but at least when he breaks your heart, you can probably get a pretty penny for that on eBay. There’re thousands of girls that would love to have him — I mean, have that bracelet from him.” The professor walked in at that moment, so I couldn’t respond. Milly gave Eric an ugly look, and I was fuming. Slayde was right. Eric was a disrespectful ass. From then on, I would stay away from him.

  After class, Slayde called and wished me happy birthday, but he was only able to talk for a second. I really didn’t want to get off the phone with him; I was still really upset by what Eric had said. I shouldn’t have let him get to me like that, but I did.

  I was sitting at my desk studying when Milly came in from class. She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on. “Come on. Get up. You can study later.” She opened our closet and started pulling out dresses and throwing them on her bed.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Hello, it’s your birthday. I always take you out for dinner on your birthday. It’s tradition.”

  “Since when did that tradition include me taking another shower and putting on a dress?”

  “Just get up and start getting ready. We’re going to be late.”

  “Late for what, Milly?”

  “I’m taking you somewhere nice. So I had to make reservations. So get moving.”

  I really wanted to stay home and watch movies and eat junk food, but since she had made reservations, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. So I went along with it.

  As we were driving, I asked, “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see!”

  “I hate surprises. Just tell me, Milly.”

  She shot me her “Drop it, OK?” look, and I knew it was a waste of energy to try and make her talk. When we got to the restaurant, I was shocked. It was the restaurant Slayde had taken me to when we first started dating. I didn’t remember telling her that — what a coincidence!

  We pulled up so the valet could park her car, and I grabbed her arm. “What are we doing here? This is expensive.” She didn’t answer me; she just rolled her eyes and got out of the car and gave her keys to the valet. I followed.

  Milly gave our information to the maître d’ and she took us to a room in the back. When she opened the door, I saw all of my friends inside. “Surprise!” they screamed. I felt tears well up in my eyes. Gr
abbing my hand, Milly turned me around and said, “Happy birthday!” Slayde was standing behind me — and I really did start to cry. He kissed me and squeezed me.

  “I thought you were on some island or something.” I whispered.

  “I was, but I couldn’t miss your birthday.”

  I couldn’t believe he had flown all the way home for me. I couldn’t quit smiling. “I love you!”

  “I love you more.” He kissed me.

  I thought, This is the best birthday ever. I wouldn’t have traded places with anyone in the world. I loved my life.

  Slayde and I went straight to his hotel after supper. He wasn’t going to be able to stay long — he’d have to fly out at the crack of dawn. Coming home unexpectedly in the middle of filming had probably cost him a fortune, but of course he acted like it was no big deal.

  When we got to our room, flowers and candles were spread everywhere. “How do you always do this?” I asked him.

  “Do what?”

  “Make everything so special?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He smiled and threw me onto the bed.

  *****

  The next Thursday, I was expecting Slayde, who was flying back from Curaçao. He only had a three-day break before he had to go back. I had to study that night, so he was planning to just stay in our dorm. We would go to a hotel the next day, after my classes, so we could have some alone time.

  As usual, we were having a study group in our room. Eric and I hadn’t spoken since my birthday, but I found out Josh had invited him over to study with us. The thought of Eric and Slayde in the same room gave me a nervous stomachache.

  “I really don’t know if having Eric over here is such a great idea,” I said to Milly.

  “I know he’s an ass, but he is a very intelligent ass, and we need his brain. Just look at it like we’re using him.” She laughed.

  “I’d better give Slayde a heads-up, though. The last thing we need is another brawl in our dorm room.”

  “That’s probably a good idea, but let’s not tell Eric that Slayde is coming until right before he gets here. OK?” she said. “We need him on his A game, and that will throw him off for sure.”

  Eric was the first one to show up to the study group. He wouldn’t even look at me, and he sat all the way on the other side of the room. This wasn’t starting off so well. I guessed I would have to be the one to break the ice. “Can I get you something to drink, Eric?” I asked.

  He looked puzzled and said, “No, thanks,” and then immediately looked down at his book.

  Once everybody else got there, everything felt back to normal. We had just reached a stopping point and were talking about ordering food when Slayde called to tell me he was almost there. Luckily Eric was out of the room. He had gone to get something to drink, which was stupid, since I had offered him something.

  Lowering my voice, I said, “Slayde, I just wanted to let you know that Eric is here studying with us. He hasn’t said one thing out of line. He’s not even speaking to me, and I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  “A, that sounds like a bad idea. How about you study, and I will come get you tomorrow after class?” I couldn’t tell if he was pissed or disappointed.

  “Aww, I wanna see you. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too, baby, but I don’t see how my presence is going to make for a very productive study group.”

  “Please! By the time you get here, we will almost be finished. You won’t have to suffer long, I promise.”

  “All right, but if he starts any shit, I’m leaving. I can’t risk fighting with him right now. I don’t need any black eyes or scraped knuckles in the middle of filming.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  “You want me stop and get pizza for everybody?” he asked.

  “That would be awesome. We were just trying to figure out what we were going to eat.”

  “OK, babe, I love you and I will see you in a little while,” he said.

  After hanging up, I told everyone that Slayde was bringing pizza. We had already started studying again when Eric rejoined the group. “I thought we were getting food. I’m starving.”

  “We are. Pizza is being delivered,” Milly said with a smile. I noticed Karen and Josh smiling too. I guessed they all thought it would be entertaining to see Eric’s reaction to the delivery boy.

  Within the hour, Slayde opened the door with an armload of pizzas. “Anybody hungry?” He and Eric made eye contact, and I felt the tension in the room rise. After a moment, Eric got up and walked out. “Well, that’s just more for everybody else,” Slayde said with a smile. I knew he felt like that was a point in his favor.

  After a few minutes, Eric came back into the room. I thought he must have realized he looked like an idiot for leaving, and that the only person he was hurting was himself. He even ate some pizza. I did catch him cutting a few ugly looks at Slayde, who was lying on my bed with his ear buds in, reading his script, but other than that, the rest of the night went off without a hitch.

  When everyone finally left, I collapsed onto my bed. Milly was in the bathroom, taking off her makeup, when Slayde said, “I’m getting kind of sick of living in a hotel. Why don’t we get an apartment or a house?” It startled me; I had not been expecting that. I loved spending time with him, but that sounded like more of a commitment than just dating. I felt excited but a little afraid.

  “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking you. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve lived together.” He kissed me.

  “I don’t know. I can’t just leave Mills.”

  “She’s right. She can’t just leave Mills,” Milly said as she walked back in the room and turned off the overhead light.

  “See, that’s exactly what I am talking about. No privacy,” he said and laughed.

  “Like you two need any more privacy than you already have,” she said. “I’m already pissed you swooped in and stole my girlfriend. Sharing her with you is one thing, but you aren’t moving her away. Sorry, that’s where I draw the line.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. Slayde and Milly loved each other. They got along like brother and sister. They had started picking on each other and even took sides against me when they needed to. They were my family, and I wouldn’t have traded them for a blood family for anything in the world.

  “If you had let me finish, nosy Rosie, you might have actually liked my idea. I want you to come with us. I want to get a house or an apartment with enough room for all of us. I’m only here half the time, and I don’t want Arden to be by herself. You can keep your dorm for studying or whatever and stay at the house whenever you get sick of this place.”

  “I can see that going over real well with my dad.” Milly picked up an imaginary phone. “Yes, Dad, I know you already paid for my dorm for the year, but I think I need to get a second place. You know, all the cool kids are doing it.”

  “Are you going to let me finish?” he asked. “I’m asking you if you want to move into a house with us for free. I’ll pay for it.”

  “Well, that must be nice, Mr. Moneybags,” she teased. “I don’t know about that. What are you going to make me do to earn my keep? Sexual favors? Because I can’t do any of that; I’m saving myself.” She paused. “Oh wait, I’ve heard you can be pretty persuasive.”

  While Milly was turning off her lamp, Slayde threw something across the room at her, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I just hoped it wasn’t mine. She said, “Ouch!” and laughed.

  I thought if Milly moved too, it would be OK, but I would miss my friends at the dorm. But as long as I could always go back to the dorm, I supposed it wouldn’t be such a big deal.

  “What’s the answer? Do you want to move in together or not, ladies?”

  “I’m in if A’s in,” Milly said.

  Slayde gave me a little peck on the lips. “What’s the verdict, A?”

  “Why not
?” I said, and Milly cheered, and Slayde kissed me again.

  “OK, stop that. I can hear you, remember. I know you haven’t seen each other in a few days, but please try and control yourselves until tomorrow, when I’m not around,” Milly said. “Gross!”

  When I met Slayde at the hotel the next afternoon, I could tell he was excited. I had only gotten about two steps inside the door when he jumped up off the bed and came to meet me. He was smiling his perfect twenty-eight-teeth smile. I wasn’t sure why, or if there even was a reason. Slayde was usually pretty happy.

  “I found the perfect house,” he said. “It’s only one block from the west side of campus. You could walk to school. Isn’t that where most of your classes are?”

  “Yes, for the most part they are all in one building on the west side of campus.”

  “It’s four bedrooms with a huge living room and kitchen, and it has three and a half baths. It also has a pool in the backyard.”

  “Gosh, do we really need a house that big?” I asked. “And when are we going to have time to take care of a pool?”

  “You can never have too much space, and they have this thing called a pool service company.”

  “I can’t believe you found something so fast. Most rental houses don’t come open until the end of the semester.”

  “This isn’t a rental. It’s for sale. Are you having second thoughts? If you aren’t ready to do this, I’ll understand.” But he didn’t look like he’d understand.

  “No, it’s not that. It’s just I hate for you to spend all of that money for Milly and me. I’m fine with the way things are.”

  “Baby, I’m tired of living out of a hotel and a damn bus. I just want to have somewhere to go home to that’s not my parent’s house. I have been thinking about buying a house for months, but I just can’t think of anywhere as home without you there. So, why not buy one here and live in it until you finish school?”

  “Then what?” I asked.

  “Then we will get married and build a house outside of LA.” He picked me up and carried me to the bed.

  “Married? What are you talking about, married?” I asked. He looked offended.