God, I hope my mother had a coupon for these, or I’m going to feel really bad when I donate it.
“Dude.” Ethan snatches one out of Drake’s hand. “I totally need this.”
I can feel a rise of bile in the back of my throat.
The guests mix around the yard once again as Mom and Darla start in on cutting the ginormous cake. Darla and Demetri have yet to set a date for their impending nuptials. I have a feeling they never will. The way Demetri dotes over my mother, it’s pretty clear the war for her heart is still going strong.
Barron and Emma make their way over to us, along with Giselle.
“I’m so proud of you!” Giselle beams. “Are you coming to Ellis’s later?”
It’s no secret Ellis and Giselle are officially together, and the sweet part is I’ve never once seen him try to maul her.
“We’ll be there.” I relax into Gage.
“We wouldn’t dare miss the last party.” Gage gives me a firm squeeze. “Who are we kidding, this is Ellis. There will always be a party.”
“Well, before you disappear”—Emma dips into her purse—“here’s a little gift from the two of us.” She hands Gage an envelope and me a small box.
“You first,” I say, turning to him.
He plucks out a card and reads it to himself. Gage holds up a key and smiles.
“Key to my dorm. I can move in anytime.”
My stomach sours at the thought. I’ll be commuting to Host, even if it’s just a ten-minute ride on the ferry. Not to mention, Gage scored a football scholarship, and I’m already staring down the barrel of student loans to fund the next leg of my scholastic career.
“That’s great,” it comes out weak. Not great. I can’t even feign happiness for Gage. I can’t help it, though, it sort of feels like the dorm key was Emma’s final F.U. to me. I’m sure she’s arranged a cheerleader as his roommate.
“Open it up, Skyla.” Giselle bubbles as if she were just as anxious to find out what’s inside.
I peel back the wrapping just enough and open the lid. I pull back the tissue and am shocked to see what’s staring back at me.
A breath gets caught in my throat, and for a second I think I might pass out.
Ever so carefully I pull out the tiny clown’s head I’ve seen dangling from Barron’s windshield.
“Why would you give this to me?” I ask softly, not to be rude, just genuinely curious.
“It’s from me, Skyla.” Barron produces a serene smile, and a sense of calm swallows up my rage. “You don’t know this about me, but I, too, had a very real phobia of those creatures. It wasn’t until I had a good friend tell me that in order to get over my fears I had to face them.” He adjusts his glasses as if to see me better. “You, Skyla, are about to become the overseer of the factions. A lot is riding on your wellbeing, both emotional and physical. Face your fears. Look them in the eye every single day, and own the right to be strong in their presence.” He gives a peaceable smile. “I don’t need it anymore. Skyla, you’re like a daughter to me. I hope you’ll appreciate it as much as I did.”
I fondle the face of the hideous creature and remember how the Fems tried for so long to master me with my fear. There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll have to face new threats. There are still so many things I need to do, and at the top of that list is shutting down the tunnels.
“Thank you.” I look into Barron’s face, and for the first time I see traces of Logan hiding out in his features. I reach over and give both him and Emma a heartfelt hug. “You’ve both been like family to me, and I can’t thank you enough.”
Mia and Melissa speed over, passing out cake, and we each take a piece.
“Look who’s here?” Gage points over to Ezrina and Nev, speaking with Marshall, and we excuse ourselves.
“Look what the cat dragged in—a bird,” I tease while hugging Nev.
“He almost killed us,” Ezrina muses in her Chloe skin. She’s dressed like a nun while sporting her thick-framed prescriptives. She’s got her hair notched in a bun, and she’s hardly recognizable as Chloe Bishop, which I totally appreciate.
“I drove.” A devious smile rides up Nevermore’s cheek. “The horsepower is amazing. I must say, I was a bit blown back at how difficult it was to navigate. It looked so easy from the sky. But it was fun as high heaven.”
“Too bad that fun will be short-lived.” Ezrina plays the part of killjoy, impeccably. “The cost of fuel is through the roof. Until we can produce our own, there’s no hope we’ll get far.”
Marshall balks. “Honestly, Rina? The way you’ve been hitting the Internet, with my plastic, you’d think it were my face on the dollar bill.”
She gives him a playful swat.
“I have a little surprise for the two of you.” I bite down on my lip while inspecting Ezrina and Nev. “Chloe and I were fifty-fifty partners in the Gas Lab. That means the two of you have your own business to run.”
Ezrina and Nev look equally unimpressed.
“It’s this oxygen slash instant coffee shop,” I try to explain.
“I’m familiar.” Nev nods. “I’ve done more than my fair share of fly by droppings on the dimwits unlucky enough to patronize the place.”
“Oh.” My enthusiasm wanes. It turns out they’re more in tune with reality than I suspected. “Anyway, Logan gifted it a bunch of new equipment, and you’re all set to open the one and only donut shop on the island.”
Ezrina purses her lips at Nev. “You’ve always had an entrepreneurial mind.”
“And you have a way with recipes,” he counters.
Gage nuzzles his lips next to my ear. “All’s well that ends well.”
I give a brief nod, and my spirit soars for a moment because I damn well know it isn’t the end.
Marshall raises a brow as if he’s just agreed with me. “All’s well that ends well indeed—especially when the best is saved for last.”
I avert my gaze as my lips curve up on the sides. It looks like I’m up for a lifetime of Marshall and his sexual innuendos, not that I mind.
I tighten Gage’s grip around my waist.
I just wish I had a lifetime of Logan and Gage as well.
“Ms. Messenger.” Marshall pulls a long white envelope from his lapel. “Principal Rice asked me to give this to you.”
“What’s this?” I take it from him and pull out the contents.
“It’s a check.” Marshall steps in.
“Oh my, gosh,” I whisper. “This is from the Kate Winston Scholarship Fund—ten thousand dollars.” I look up at him, stunned.
“Her parents never faulted you, Skyla.” He gives a brief nod. “More importantly, Kate wanted you to have it.”
My heart breaks for Kate.
I look up at Gage and smile. “Host University, here we come.”
Gage presses in a kiss over the top of my head, and an odd thought comes to me.
“Hey, Marshall?” I lean in. “That night we went back to get Logan’s body, you mentioned there was someone in that haunted mansion you wanted to speak with. Who was that? Was it Liam?”
“No, Skyla.” His features harden as he looks past my shoulder. “It was Demetri’s son. Be warned, he loathes Celestra.”
A shiver runs through me, my blood turns cold as ice. All of the pieces are coming together now, but I’m not interested in probing into this tonight—not until I’m forced to. Tonight is about Gage and celebrating the end to a rather long journey—and the beginning of a new one that consists of just him and me.
***
Gage and I finally make our way to Ellis’s epic graduation party. The Harrison house is dim per Paragon party regulations, and the bodies are wall-to-wall thick with half of them belonging to students from East. I spot Carly Foster and Carson Armistead both sporting sweatshirts from Host, and I make a face. Hopefully they’ll fade into the woodwork, but more than likely they’ll become the staple skanks of frat houses everywhere. Not that I care. The only guy at Host I’ll have my eye on is G
age.
I steal a kiss as the party rages around us.
“I’ve got a graduation gift for you.” His dimples dig in, and I’m already plotting on how I’m going to sink my tongue in each one later for a half hour straight.
“I’ve got a graduation gift for you,” I say it sultry. I pluck out a tiny black velvet bag from my pocket and hand it to Gage.
“What’s this?” He pulls out the silver watch Mom helped me pick out. “Cool. A dive watch.” He flips it around and reads the inscription on the back, “The time is right for you and me. Love forever, Skyla” Gage sinks a smile and pulls me in. “I love it, and I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I can’t break our gaze. Something seismic is shifting tonight for Gage and me. I can feel it.
“As for your gift.” His dimples dig in and out. “Actually, I lied.” His chest rumbles with laughter. “I don’t have one gift for you, I have two. The first gift is”—he rubs his nose over mine—“I’d like to spend the day with you tomorrow at Host—give you the guided tour of my dorm.” His lips give a lewd curve, and my stomach explodes with heat. “And if you want, we can do a quick lap around the school.”
“Ha, ha, very funny. And I can’t wait to see your dorm.” I rake my hands over his back like a promise. “And, of course, the school, maybe.”
“Yeah, well, that’s the lame gift.” He averts his eyes, teasing me. “The good gift is coming up right behind you.”
I turn and see the most beautiful sight in the world.
Logan Oliver—alive and in the flesh.
45
Glory and Honor
Logan beams a radiant grin, and the dimple I gave him in a fit of rage slices down his cheek.
“Logan!” I throw my arms around him, and he spins me, turning the room and everyone in it into a kaleidoscope of color.
“Congratulations,” he whispers in my ear. “I’m proud of you.” He reaches over and offers Gage a high five. “I’m proud of you, too. Good job, man.”
“Are you back?” My insides tense up. I swear I’ll break like a mirror if he says no and damn him to a lifetime of bad luck.
“I’m back, Skyla.” He presses out a sad smile. “On my own terms.” He pulls Gage into our huddle, and the three of us partake in a lengthy group hug. Logan pulls away and takes us both in. “I think it’ll be too hard for me to be here all the time in your face, so I’m going to pull back a little. I want the two of you to settle in, to commence your relationship the way you should. I’m not here to get in your way,” he says that last part directly to Gage. “So I might be hard to find for a couple months, maybe even after that. But if you guys need me, let Dudley know.”
Shit. Logan seems just as elusive as he did before.
“We can’t go months without seeing you,” I say it low just under the music.
“You won’t.” He pulls me in by the shoulder.
“Logan’s here!” Brielle shouts, and a crowd amasses around us. Lexy, Michelle, and Emily, Nat, Drake, Ethan, Ezrina and Nev—then finally Ellis and Giselle round out our circle.
Ellis holds up his bright red Solo. “I just gotta say, you guys are the best effing friends a guy could as for. Thanks for making West Paragon a place I’ll always remember.”
“Here, here!” Lex sloshes her hips up and down like a pole dancer. “To West, baby!
“To West,” I say. “An experience I will never forget.”
I look up at Logan and Gage.
Nor would I want to.
***
After several hours of partying, Logan, Gage, and I decide to ditch the chaos and head across the street. My spirit soars as the three of us waft through a thicket of fog. It feels like old times.
“Would you guys mind if I took you someplace?” Logan asks as if he weren’t sure if we would say yes.
“Of course we wouldn’t mind.” I jump at the idea of going anywhere with Logan.
Gage pats me on the back. “Why don’t you go?” His dimples wink in turn, no smile. “I’ve already seen what he’s about to show you.”
“Are you sure?” It feels like we’re falling in that same trap again, and the last thing I want is for Gage to feel insecure in any way.
“I’m positive,” he says it like he means it, so I agree.
Logan and I take off in his truck, and I inhale the scent of his familiar cologne as it mixes with the leather. It’s bliss like this with him back on the island.
We drive in comfortable silence all the way to the bowling alley, but turn toward the house he built instead. His headlights flash over the street sign—Whitehorse.
I cradle the mirrored heart in my hand and smile.
“I love it, Logan.” I gaze over at the enormous house, mesmerized by this incredible token of his affection.
“I heard Dudley gave you the tour.” His brows bounce.
“He did, and I’m more than impressed with your architectural feat both above and below ground.”
“Come on.” He ticks his head toward the house. “There’s one more thing I’m hoping to impress you with.”
Logan takes me by the hand up the broad porch and unlocks the door. He reaches in and turns on the lights before pausing.
“Would you mind if I carried you over the threshold?” His lids grow heavy as if he were somehow overstepping his bounds.
“I was your bride once, Logan,” I whisper like a secret. “I would be incensed if you didn’t.”
Logan picks me up with a laugh trembling in his chest and carries me over the threshold of this love nest he built for the two of us, for another moment in time entirely.
He bounces me soft on my feet and drops a kiss on the top of my head.
“I’m sorry.” He touches my face. “I’m not going to lie. Seeing you with Gage is going to be painful.” He looks down for a moment and presses his lips tight until they bleed out all color.
I don’t know what to say or how to comfort him.
“But I know our happily ever after waits for us, Skyla. I’ll hold onto that,” he says just below a whisper. “Let’s go.” Logan races us upstairs, across the expansive hallways to the large master bedroom in the back. He flicks on a light, exposing the overgrown barren room and leads me to the closet off to the side.
“His, hers,” he touts.
“You did good, Oliver.”
“I was hoping you’d think so.” He waves me into the larger closet of the two, and I step in. It’s only then I notice a stairwell in the back leading up to a full-sized door.
“You didn’t.” I cover my mouth with my hand.
“I don’t know,” he teases. “Let’s find out.” He ushers me up the stairs, and we step on through the creamy white door.
A beautiful room opens up and takes my breath away. Every wall is covered in an array of bright blue butterflies, every size, every unique shape. These aren’t the tissue-covered butterflies of days gone by—these are larger than life, beautiful silk renditions.
“Sorry, they’re all blue,” he whispers.
“They’re my favorite.” I spin, taking it all in. A small white couch sits off to the side with a round wicker table set in front of it. The floor is covered with glossy black granite with diamond-like sparkles strewn throughout, just like the black galaxy flooring of the butterfly room back home.
“I thought maybe this could be your space. You could come up here to think. Do your thing.”
“Thank you.” I pull him in and touch my forehead to his.
“I’ve got something for you. A graduation gift.”
“Logan.” I pull back and gaze up at his gorgeous face. I never want this moment to end. “You didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to.” He reaches behind the tiny table and produces a small, white bag. “Besides, this is the perfect gift.”
“You’re the perfect gift,” I correct. He hands me the bag, and I pull back the tissue extracting a simple white frame. “Oh my, God,” I whisper, looking at the amazing picture. “I love this.”
There we are, the three of us at West with Logan on one side holding me and Gage on the other. I remember this night. Gage had me step onto his helmet, then Logan came. “Emma took this. It was the last game of the year, my birthday,” I whisper. “You’re right, this is perfect.”
“Remember us that way, the three of us together.” A moment of grief, heavy as the island, treads by. “I want you to know, I’m rooting for you and Gage. I’m not at all going to try and sneak you off to the bushes and have my way with you.” His dimple winks. “I think it’s important I lay low until you guys cement things between yourselves. I think Gage needs the space. I think you both do.”
“And what about you?” I swallow hard, not wanting to ask the question.
Logan presses into me with an intense gaze and a fire rakes through me.
“I’m not interested in anybody else, Skyla.” He shakes his head. “I guess I’m going to be the scary loner.” He holds out his hands and smiles. “And in all seriousness”—he takes me in his arms again—“this is a good time for us to build our friendship, and a good time for me to restore my relationship with Gage.”
“Logan.” I cast a glance to the floor. I can’t bear to look at him. “You’re coming from the future, you already know so many things.” I shake my head.
“The treble I’m in”—Logan tenderly lifts my chin—“this moment is the first minute your mother gifted me my life back. I don’t know a thing about the future we’ll have.” His smile widens at the mention. “I want it that way. I want to experience every part of those precious tomorrows right along with you. I also have no recall from this moment forward.”
“How is that possible? Did you hurt yourself?”
“No, I’m fine. I specifically asked for the tabula rasa. I wanted to experience these years with you, with Gage, with life just the way it was meant to be, full of surprises.” His features darken again. “But this, Skyla. This is your time to shine with Gage. Be with him. I want you to. He sacrificed his own time with you, so that one day we could have ours. Every year we’ll have together was gifted from him.” Logan lands a chaste kiss on my cheek. “Love him.”
Elysian Page 55