by Craft, Maggi
“I’m fine. I’m used to Brady being an ass. I just don’t like it causing a problem and making everyone else uncomfortable.”
“I’m sure that poor girl thinks we are all lunatics. I bet this is one trip she won’t forget.” Lexi said with wide eyes. “Like a National Lampoon vacation.” We all laughed.
“Well, if she’s gonna date Brady, she better get used to it,” I said.
“Isn’t that the truth,” she said. “OK, Slayde, you are the more responsible son. So I am telling you now: if you break anything in this cabin, I’m going to kill you. You can fight over who had the toy first later.” She looked at me and said, “No offense. These two have fought over everything their whole lives. They make me nuts.”
I just smiled at her.
“Way to make her feel good, Mom,” Slayde said, putting his arm around her neck.
“Oh, hush, Slayde. Arden knows I love her, and I doubt that offended her.”
They both looked at me. I knew I was blushing, but I smiled.
We went our separate ways after lunch. Brady and the girl, whose name was Aubry, went snowboarding. Slayde and I went to a movie.
When we returned to the cabin, I could smell something cooking. Lexi had dinner waiting, and it was delicious. She was an amazing cook. She’d made three huge dishes of homemade lasagna. I’d never eaten any that wasn’t from the freezer, and I enjoyed every mouthwatering bite.
After I helped her clean the kitchen, I decided to go look for Aubry. I really felt sorry for her. When I caught sight of her out on the porch, drinking coffee, and Brady wasn’t with her, I thought that that was my chance. I grabbed my coat and gloves and went outside.
“It’s freezing out here, isn’t it?” I said. I didn’t really know what to say to her. I guessed the weather was a good place to start.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cold,” she said without looking at me.
“So, you live in LA?” I turned on the butane heater and sat down by her in the swing.
“I do now. I moved there from Washington about a year ago with my family.” She really was a very pretty girl, now that I looked at her. She had the prettiest light-green eyes outlined in dark brown.
“Do you like it?” Making small talk wasn’t my gift, but I was really going to try.
“Pretty much. It’s a little crazy sometimes, but I’m getting used to it.” She smiled at me. Maybe she realized I wasn’t a psycho ex-girlfriend after all.
I figured I’d go ahead and rip the Band-Aid off. “I’m sorry about earlier. It was uncomfortable for me, and I know these people. I can’t imagine how embarrassing it was for you.”
“It’s not your fault.” She looked down into her coffee mug.
“How long have you been dating Brady?” I thought maybe I shouldn’t have asked as soon as it came out of my mouth.
“About two months.”
“Well, don’t let that ruin your trip. Brady and I dated back in high school. The fight really had nothing to do with me. That was just his ego getting in the way. That happens from time to time, so watch out.” I nudged her shoulder with mine. She did smile a little. “Do you want to go home?” I asked.
“Kind of — I feel stupid.” I saw a tear roll down her cheek; she quickly wiped it away.
I put my arm around her. “You have no reason to feel stupid. Nobody thinks you look stupid. If anyone looks stupid, it’s Brady. Next would be Slayde and me, but definitely not you. Please don’t go home.”
What am I doing? I wanted them to both get their asses back on that plane tomorrow and go home, so we could enjoy the rest of our vacation without walking on eggshells.
“You think?” She looked a little hopeful.
“I promise. Now, let’s go inside before we get pneumonia.” I grabbed her by the hand, and we both went back inside.
Everyone was sitting in the living room listening to Zac talk about a baseball game. Lexi looked at me and smiled. I knew she was glad I reached out to Aubry.
After everyone had all gone to bed, I found myself just lying there awake. I got up to get something to drink. It was dark, and I thought everyone was asleep, but when I closed the refrigerator, Brady was standing right behind me.
I jumped. “Damn, you scared me to death.” I took a step back to get myself together and to reclaim my personal space. He didn’t move.
“What are you doing here?”
I held up the bottle. “Getting water.”
“Not in the kitchen. Here.”
I tried to walk away. “I’m not doing this, Brady.”
He grabbed my arm. I gave him an ugly look, and he let go. “I deserve an answer, Arden.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Deserve? Really?”
“This is my house.”
“Would you like me to leave?” I asked, crossing my arms, tucking the bottle of cold water up under my arm.
He walked over and leaned against the cabinet and let out a deep sigh. “I just want an explanation.” Is he freaking serious? He hadn’t sounded rude when he said that, but I was still pissed.
“For what?”
“You and Slayde.”
I actually laughed. “You’re really serious! Did you forget you slept with my sister?” I took a quick pause. “I’m sorry — two of my sisters.”
“And I said I was sorry.” Again I laughed. “But is that what this is about? Revenge?”
“Good night.”
He stood between me and the door. “Is it?”
The nerve. “No. This has nothing to do with you. We didn’t think you were even coming.”
“But Dad and Lexi knew you were coming before you left?”
“So?”
“So, they didn’t tell me.”
“I’m sure they didn’t think you’d care, Brady. We broke up years ago.”
“And now you’re with my little brother.”
“Again, what’s the issue?”
“That’s shitty.”
“Sorry. Move.”
“How long have you been dating him?”
I tried to walk around him, but again he stopped me. “Brady!”
“Just answer me.”
“Since the summer. Move.”
“Summer? And he never told me?”
“I guess. Ask him.”
“Wait.”
I was really pissed. “You know what? I don’t owe you a damn thing. You cheated on me. You’re the sorry piece of shit here. Not me and not Slayde. Say what you want, but you know I’m right.”
He smiled his smart-ass Brady Price smile that still infuriated me. “I’m feeling a lot of tension here.”
“Oh, you are?” I said smartly.
“Is that because you still care?” He was actually serious.
“Yes, I care, but not about you.”
He looked shocked. “You really don’t care about me?”
I shook my head and went upstairs. But that was a lie. I cared. But I’d never give him that satisfaction. And I knew saying that I didn’t would make him leave me alone.
When I got back into bed, Slayde never moved. I was pissed at Brady, but I wasn’t planning to tell Slayde about the little conversation we’d just had. And I doubted Brady would either.
The rest of the trip was nice. Aubry and I were friendly, but that was the only communication going on between the two couples. Of course, all of the other Prices were super nice to her as well, and Zac stopped me in the hall to apologize for the fact that I had been put in a bad position. Slayde was really shocked by that when he found out, but it definitely made me feel better.
The day after we returned from the ski trip, Slayde and I flew to New York for a photo shoot for a magazine article. Isabelle met us at the airport. “Oh my gosh, you’re all grown up.” I couldn’t believe she was already twenty. “And when, might I ask, did you get your boobs done? You didn’t tell me about them.” I made her turn around so I could check her out.
“About a year ago. Birthday present from Dad.”
S
layde had to go on to the photo shoot, so Isabelle and I decided to go shopping. She wasn’t as high maintenance as Kenedy, so I never minded shopping with Isabelle. We were in Bloomingdale’s, trying on shoes, when Isabelle asked, “How is Kenedy handling your dating Slayde?”
“About as well as I thought she would. She convinced me Slayde had gotten this girl pregnant in Paris, and I believed her and broke up with him. It was horrible.”
“What a bitch. Who does that to her sister?”
“The same person who sleeps with their sister’s boyfriend.”
“What? I thought that was Gia.” She looked confused.
“It was both of them,” I explained.
“What skanks. Only Kenedy would sleep with your boyfriend but expect you to remain loyal to her.” We both laughed. How I missed my baby sister. She and I were so alike.
That night, Slayde took us to Del Frisco’s, his favorite steak place, and then we went to the Marquee and danced all night. We had a blast. Slayde was always so much fun to go out with, and so was Isabelle, so I couldn’t have been in better company.
Before I knew it, our three days were over, and Isabelle had to go back home. Slayde and I were alone for the first time in forever.
As I was getting into bed beside him, Slayde said, “Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. I made reservations at 15 East.”
I had been dying to go there. I loved sushi. “Oh my gosh, they are supposed to have the best sushi.”
“So I’ve heard. Then, I thought if we had enough liquor in us, we could be stupid and go downtown and watch the ball drop.”
“Are you nuts? I’m fine watching it on TV in the hotel room with you. Naked!” I leaned over and kissed him. “How does that sound?”
“Like a better idea.” He smiled and kissed me.
In the end, Slayde convinced me to skip the restaurant too and just stay in bed. We ordered room service and watched movies instead. It was relaxing, and I was glad we hadn’t gone into the city with all of those crazy people. That was just where I wanted to be. In bed with Slayde. Needless to say, we missed the ball drop, but at least we started our new year off right.
“You know how much I love you, don’t you?” he asked as I was dozing off.
“Yes, I think so.” I said. “Why?”
“This last year has been the best year of my life, and I am so thankful for you. I’m so excited to start a new year with you.” He kissed me.
“Well, so am I.”
“I just wanted you to know that, that’s all.”
That made me a little nervous. Sitting up, I turned on the lamp. “What does that mean, Slayde? I feel like you aren’t telling me something.”
“It’s nothing like that. I just know that with this movie coming out, and you starting your internship this year, it’s going to be a new adventure for us both. I just wanted to let you know what was most important to me, and that’s us. So when it gets hard, we can hold on to that, and let that get us through the not-so-fun parts.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but I turned the light back off and lay down.
I really didn’t want our vacation to end. I wasn’t ready for school to start back up, and I sure wasn’t ready for Slayde to be gone again. But I was happy about one thing: seeing Milly.
When I walked in to the house, it looked like maybe she had already been there a few days. “Mills,” I called, and went to her room, opening the door. But I didn’t find Milly there. I found Eddie. In just his boxers.
I walked back out, thinking he was definitely as hot as I had thought. Go, Milly! But where was Milly?
Eddie came out with his clothes on. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know you were here.” I walked over and hugged him.
“Where’s Milly?”
“Gone to get food. Are you hungry?”
“No, Lexi insisted we eat before we left.”
“Where’s Slayde?” Eddie asked.
“I guess getting the luggage. He was right behind me.”
Eddie went out to help. I liked Eddie. That’s when I remembered that they’d never met. I ran outside. “Slayde, Eddie.”
Slayde smiled. “We figured it out.”
They both came in with our luggage and put it on our bed. “Thanks, man,” Slayde said. I realized I was staring at Eddie. Slayde must have remembered that I had said he was my type, because he put his arms around my waist, pulling me to him. “Where’s Milly?”
“Right here.” We turned around to see Milly with a case of beer and two pizzas. “Hungry?”
“Just ate,” Slayde said. “Looks like you had a good holiday.”
“Yeah, my family was all at my parents’, and as soon as I could get the hell out, I did. I’ve been back four days. Eddie and I have been just enjoying doing nothing. He has to work tonight, though,” she said, poking out her lip.
“Well, we may just have to come by for drinks from our favorite bartender,” I said, looking at Eddie.
Slayde squeezed me playfully, again reminding me of what I’d said. “I thought we were going to a movie, Arden.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry, Eddie! Milly, you wanna go see a movie?” I asked.
“What movie?” she asked.
“Some chick flick, I’m sure,” Slayde remarked.
Eddie said, “Hate that I’m gonna miss that.”
Slayde laughed. “You and me both.”
I swung at him.
After Milly and Eddie ate, Eddie left for work, and Milly joined Slayde and me in our room, where we were putting away our clothes.
Apparently I hadn’t gotten out of the whole checking out Eddie thing. Slayde didn’t seem mad, but he wanted me to know that he noticed. “Arden, I’ve never seen you flirt with anyone other than me, but you were flirting with Eddie.”
“Oh, Slayde, I don’t have a problem with her flirting with my boyfriend. I flirt with hers,” Milly said, batting her eyes at Slayde.
“Boyfriend?” I asked.
She smiled. “I guess.”
“Like, you’ve talked about it?”
Slayde, realizing this had just become a Milly-and-me conversation, left the room.
“Well, he introduced me to his mother as his girlfriend,” she said, lying back on our bed.
“You met his mother?”
“Yes, and his dad and sisters. They’re great.”
“Hello! You didn’t think that was at least worthy of a text?”
“Oh, I wanted to wait and surprise you.” She smiled. “Merry Christmas.”
“Well, I am surprised. But I’m really happy. It’s a good surprise.”
Slayde fell asleep on the couch while Milly was giving me the lowdown, and he was just so cute that I couldn’t wake him. So, Milly and I watched two of the Twilight movies in my room, had cold pizza and wine, and caught up. It was some Milly time that I had seriously needed.
“I can’t believe Brady acted like that in front of his girlfriend,” she said.
“I know. It was very embarrassing,” I said.
“Are he and Slayde OK?”
“They haven’t spoken.”
“Is Slayde upset?”
“No, he’s pissed. He doesn’t think Brady has a right to be mad.”
“Well, he doesn’t at you, but at Slayde, he does. Slayde should have told him. I thought they were closer than that.”
“They are, but I guess Slayde knew he would act that way, so he didn’t tell him.”
“Or maybe Slayde felt guilty about it.”
That pissed me off. “About what? Brady cheated on me. Numerous times. With my sisters, don’t forget.”
“Is that why you went out with Slayde? He’s Brady’s brother.”
“Are you serious? I don’t care what Brady thinks. He can kiss my ass.”
“OK, just checking.”
We were interrupted by Slayde walking in with his eyes half-closed. “I missed you, Milly, but you aren’t sleeping with us. Go to bed,” he said, falling into bed.
“Fine,” she
said. “’Night. Love you too. Glad you’re home.”
“Love you.”
After she shut the door, I whispered, “Slayde?”
“Hmmm?”
“You still awake?”
“Depends.”
“Well, that’s not why, but I want to ask you something.”
He opened his eyes. “What?”
“Why didn’t you tell Brady we were dating until our trip?”
He rolled over on his back and let out a deep breath. “I guess I didn’t want to fight with him. I knew he was going to be pissed, but I can’t help it. He’ll have to get over it.”
“Are you sure that’s why?”
He looked at me. “Yeah. Why else?”
I shrugged and rolled over to turn off the lamp. “Just checking,” I said.
He reached around my waist, pulling me to him. “While we’re just checking — what’s up with you and Eddie?” he asked, kind of laughing.
I giggled. “Nothing. I just think he’s cute, that’s all.”
“Oh, OK,” he said, kissing the back of my head. “Good night.”
Chapter 8
W hen Slayde’s movie came out in February, it was a huge success. I was happy for him, and happy the filming was over. But I knew that wouldn’t be it. This movie was based on a series. So when Slayde called and told me he’d been offered a contract to commit to two more movies, I was not hugely surprised.
I was sitting on my bed studying when he called to give me the news. “You are never going to believe this, but they want to me to commit to two more films. What do you think?” he asked.
“That’s great. Are you going to do it?” I asked.
“Well, I want to. What do you think?”
“If you want to do it, then do it.”
“You’re OK with that?”
“Slayde, this is your life, baby. It’s your choice. I support you.” I felt awful lying about my real feelings, but I felt awful being that selfish. I would have to pretend I was happy about it because he was so excited.
*****
We entered a whole new world with the success of his first movie. Everywhere Slayde went, the press was hounding him and taking pictures of everything he did. It was crazy, and I really hated it. I missed the days when we would snuggle up in the hotel all weekend and go out with our friends and no one cared who he was.