“What are you saying?”
Ethan shrugged. “I’m not saying anything. Only noting the coincidence.”
Liam snapped the laptop closed, his brows and lips forming parallel lines. “And you and Haylo are conveniently just friends now that you’re back in Miami.”
Ethan pulled his legs back to the floor. “Of course we’re just friends. You know that. We’ve known each other since we were in diapers.”
My breath caught. Ethan looked nervous. Haylo had to have been the girl at the warehouse party in New York. The way they’d kissed on the dance floor was anything but friendly. I shouldn’t have been bothered. Why would I be bothered if I was over Ethan?
But it bothered me.
“We’re collaborating,” I said to get back to the project. “Liam recognized I could be helpful. The buyer presentation is coming up and we have work to do.”
“Why are you doing this, anyway?” Ethan asked Liam.
“Doing what, the app? What do you mean?”
Ethan stood and walked to the window. “All this work—the app inventor thing, and then this meeting for a buyer. Why?”
“I told you. College applications. Experience. It sets me apart.”
“You’re a Laurenti. Our name already sets you apart. Besides that, you’ve got a 4.0. You don’t need scholarships. You’ll get in anywhere.”
“I want to earn my college acceptance.”
Ethan turned from the window. “And I don’t? Is that what you think?”
“You just name-dropped our own last name in reference to applying to college. You think that’s earning?”
“Guys, guys.” I walked in between them. “None of this is helping. You have different goals. Ethan, you’re Slytherin. You look at the world differently.”
“I’m what?”
I swallowed my mortification. I for real used a Harry Potter reference in a serious discussion. Penalty to Gryffindor for sure. “Never mind. You two want different things.”
“Or not so much,” Liam grumbled. He glanced at me, the hurt open on his face. “It’s been really great working with you. This is as much your project now as it is mine.”
Emotion seeped thick under my skin and welled up in my face. I could turn tears any second. I breathed in to compose myself. “Thanks.” Why all this tension? What was I missing? “I think it’s time I head back.”
They clearly had stuff to work out, so I gathered my things, stepping over the gray, green, and blue shirts piled on the floor in Liam’s size. I walked the hall, down the stairs, and reached the door. Neither Laurenti followed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I spent the evening with Abuelita playing cards at the kitchen table. Her favorite soap opera played on TV in the background. I’d hardly seen her with all my time helping Liam and Haylo.
“Liam told me how much you’ve accomplished with the project,” Abuelita said, and discarded a queen of hearts.
“For sure. Though, Liam is still the most fashion-challenged person I’ve ever met.” I picked up a loser of a card. I never won playing cards against Abuelita—even Go Fish.
“Oh, Liam is a sweet boy.” She slapped an ace on the table. “Not like that scoundrel, Antonio.”
I twisted to see the TV better. “I don’t know, I kind of like Antonio. Maybe it’s the eye patch.” On screen, Antonio pushed his arch-enemy into a hot tub. “At least Liam is dressing better now that I’ve shopped for him.”
“I’m proud of you being so helpful to the boys.”
The back door opened and Mami came in. “Oh, good, you’re home,” she said to me. “What’s this I hear about you being on camera for that reality show?”
“What?” She wasn’t wrong, I just didn’t figure she’d be annoyed about it.
She tossed her purse aside. “I found out through Alex. He saw you on the dailies and told me. You with Ethan and those girls.”
So much for being cool with this Alex dude. “Are you talking about at the restaurant? Liam was there, too. Abuelita was just saying how glad she is about me helping them.” Ha! There. Abuelita adored the Laurenti boys and would side with me on this.
Mami gave me her the I’m Having None of It look. “Those boys don’t need anything. And I don’t want you on their show.”
“Oh, be kind,” Abuelita said to Mami. “The boys found a friendship with our Mila. They’ve taken her on boats.”
“What kind of boats?”
Oh, great. “It’s more that I’m going places with Haylo Lohman and Ethan is also there. I’m helping her with her style.”
“She should have a person for that.”
I explained the tube tops and our shopping trips. “Besides, she paid me. In cash.”
“She gave you money?” Mami shook her head. “No, no, Mila. Don’t get involved. I don’t care if she paid you under the table. It’s not a good idea.”
I didn’t bother hiding my agitation. “So, you can work with the TV people, but it’s off-limits for me? It should be up to me how I spend my time.”
Mami’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t like how Ethan’s always with a different girl. Passing one for the next. And that Lohman family will do anything for the spotlight. Yes, I’m working behind the scenes. It’s why I don’t want you part of it. I’ve seen what they’re like off camera.”
This was getting ridiculous. “So have I. Haylo doesn’t fit that mold. With what I’m doing for her, I shouldn’t be on camera, anyway. The restaurant thing was a fluke. It’s not like I’m dating Ethan. I’m not dating anyone. Happy?” I tossed my cards aside. This was the reality of my social life. Not posh parties or Miami clubs, but home playing cards with my grandmother and watching telenovelas. “I don’t get your problem with Ethan. You know he’s a good person.”
“Maybe he reminds me of someone.” She yanked open the freezer and loosened the ice container in a violent frozen tumble.
Mami meant my father. Anytime someone mentioned him, Abuelita became suspiciously mute. She’d promised Mami she would never speak ill of him in front of me (but that didn’t rule out humming or hand gestures).
Ethan like my dad? Whatever. “You know what? That’s not fair. Just because you have bad memories from your own life, that shouldn’t mean I can’t live mine.”
Abuelita scolded me in Spanish.
“No, let her talk. Let’s talk about my bad memories.” Mami slammed a cabinet door, the one that never shut right. “Your father could charm anyone. He always had ideas, and plans. He was going to take care of us. He was going to take care of everything. Then when he left for Texas? For the job he said could support us, and he’d send home money?” She stared at me, hard.
I picked at a chipped tile on our tabletop. “I’m sorry Dad didn’t come back.” Nothing I said could change what happened. I didn’t hold on to anger about him like she did. To me, my dad was a name, a story, a handful of photos.
She ran a hand through the ends of her ponytail. “The point is, I don’t want you involved with this reality show. End of discussion.” She left the room.
I played my hand and lost again. Abuelita cleared the table, no smug winner’s face today. Thankfully my phone vibrated as a distraction. It was Liam.
I’m sorry. I know that was weird with E and I fighting.
It’s not your problem.
I agreed with him there. Their fight was not my problem. Des had it right when she warned me against the Laurentis. I didn’t need to help Liam. Worst case, I’d give up my catering job money to fix the phone I’d cracked. I’d given him plenty of help already.
In my room, I looked through my patterns to start on a new project. A project of my own that had nothing to do with Haylo or Ethan or Liam.
Nothing interested me, so I pulled up RunwayGirl12. I hadn’t been checking the account much lately, but on impulse I’d posted from the stores at Bal Harbour. A shot I took of the bright blue sky with palm tree leaves edging the bottom left of the frame. My caption explained a new project I was working on tha
t involved a shopping app, with specifics left out. A thrill shot through me. Fourteen hundred Likes! More than that, there were fifty comments! I scrolled through them.
Name of app please?
Want to download now!
What is the name of this app?
Is this app avail?
Sounds amazing! Please share details.
This was incredible! Genuine interest from fashion fans. I needed to tell Liam. Now.
After all, he’d said this was as much my project as his. It was definitely his project, no question, but the fact he was letting me in on so many areas made me believe it was mine, too. I cared about this.
I trudged up the brick-paver drive, past the cube-sculpted bushes. My hand froze on the door. I probably should have texted Liam. Safest to go through the staff kitchen.
Inside, Liam’s voice carried from the front hall. I followed the voice until I reached the foyer leading to Mr. Laurenti’s office. Liam stood in the office doorway with his back turned toward me. Mr. Laurenti sat behind a massive mahogany desk like an executive meeting with his client.
“I told you,” Liam explained. “This is what I started to develop before the tech intensive.”
“I remember,” Mr. Laurenti said. “I’m fine with paying for computer camp. Those are good skills and necessary for business. It doesn’t mean anyone’s paying for you to change college plans so you can get a job playing around at Google.”
Liam shifted his feet. “I don’t want to work for Google. Well, I would given the right offer for work I find invigorating—”
What Liam said was cut short by the thunk of a heavy object meeting the desktop. “We have a family business. A legacy. Do you know how many boys your age would kill for that? To have a plan laid out for them?”
“You have Ethan for that,” Liam said, his voice straining at the edges.
Mr. Laurenti chuckled. He leaned back in his leather chair. “Ethan will go to business school, but he’ll be the face of the company. He’s a born marketing type if I’ve ever seen one. Have you watched him around these TV producers? You could learn a thing or two from watching.” He coughed. “Look, Liam. Your brother is sharp, but you’re the brains behind the future of this business. I’m doing you a favor. Don’t be ungrateful.”
“I’m not ungrateful, but you make it seem like all I want to do is what you do, and—”
“You kids. A man works hard—so hard he builds an investment company from the ground up. The kind of company he dreams of passing down to his kids. We give you everything and you throw it back. You want to play around with video games?” He folded his faithful Wall Street Journal and rapped the paper against the desk. “Be my guest. Just don’t expect me to pay for it.”
Seriously? Did people for real say things like that? I couldn’t imagine Mami or Abuelita telling me I couldn’t follow my talent. They’d even let me follow what wasn’t my talent when they’d let me try out dance lessons back in third grade (dance movies were my jam because actually dancing wasn’t).
Liam’s shoulders slumped forward. His body became stone and unmoving. Come on, Liam. Come on. Say something.
He must have mumbled back because Mr. Laurenti said, “Uh-huh,” and then picked up his desk phone. Liam turned and I slid down the hall in a silent tiptoe.
“Amelia?”
I’d made it past the stairs, but not through the foyer. “Oh, hey. So, um test phones. I’m here at your service. Full steam ahead.” I made a jaunty arm-pump motion that had no business existing.
Liam’s eyes glazed over. “Sorry. You don’t have to help me.” He started up the stairs.
“Wait.” I caught him by the sleeve. “Your app has amazing potential, and you’re good at this.”
He squinted at me until understanding materialized. “You heard, didn’t you?”
I shrunk back. “I did. Liam, that sucks. I’m really sorry your dad doesn’t care about what you’re doing. He might not care, but I do. I may have posted a very general teaser to my RunwayGirl account about an app in development, and it may have gotten over a thousand Likes and people demanding I tell them when and where this app is available.”
“You told people about it?”
“Without mentioning names or how it works or anything specific. Only that I was helping with an app that made shopping fun and used data scanned from clothing tags.” I held my breath. I hadn’t considered Liam might not like that I’d posted this info live on the Internet.
“And people are interested?”
“Fifty comments on the caption. They’re all tied to accounts, so we could do market research.”
“It’s hard to turn off, isn’t it?”
I laughed at my instant revert to app talk. “Yeah. I guess so. From the first time you showed me your idea, I knew you were onto something. It’s a smart idea, and not everybody can do what you’re doing. You can’t give up yet.”
A slow smile tugged up one corner of his mouth. “Who ever said I was giving up?”
“You didn’t?”
“I said you didn’t have to help me. I didn’t mean I was quitting.”
“Oh.” I tended to assume a lot of things about Liam.
“I’m doing my app no matter what my dad thinks.” Determination blazed in his eyes.
Again, we found ourselves standing close. “Then I’m here to do the same.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The choice between going to Saturday night’s party with Haylo and Ethan or helping Liam meet the presentation deadline was a no-brainer. After overhearing the conversation with Liam and his father, I couldn’t let him down. His own family didn’t believe in him.
Plus, I could avoid Ethan. Yes, I was actively avoiding Ethan Laurenti. On purpose. No, with purpose. I replied to his messages that I was busy working and couldn’t go out. I texted Des and Maya my resolute decision, and they showered me with praises. I’d done it! I’d gotten over Ethan!
The texts from Haylo and Ethan started rolling in after dinner.
You have to come tonight, Amelia! I need you!
We R filming. U don’t want to miss!
Want me to pick you up? Heading out soon with Haylo.
Ethan wasn’t at the Laurentis’, since I was at the Laurentis’ with Liam, working. He would have to swing back here to get me, which made no sense. Easy enough to convince him not to bother.
Liam checked his own phone. He shook his head and set the phone aside.
“What?”
“Nothing.” His phone buzzed the same time as mine. We both reached for our phones.
“Want to go to a party?” Liam asked at the same time I said, “Haylo keeps bothering me about the party.” I did a quick rewind. “Did you say you wanted to go?”
He stood and stretched. “Only if you do. I’ve been at this for hours. My brain is sort of fried.”
We’d been working most of the day. My planner skills had been useful in bulleting all the tasks we needed to finish before the presentation. Now we had a good time line in place.
“Well, in that case, maybe we should go.” Saying we about Liam and I did not exactly roll from the tongue. “I mean, if you want.”
“Only if you want.”
Did I want? I laughed out loud at myself. “We’re hopeless. Okay, executive decision: yes, let’s go.”
Twenty minutes later, I rocked killer wedge sandals with glitter straps I’d gotten in a trade with Desiree in a long-distance clothing swap, paired with a bold-print mini and a drapey top. I aimed to look good even if I didn’t know what to expect tonight.
Liam pulled up the SUV to our back door. He exited and walked around to meet me, holding open the passenger side. He wore slimmer-fitting gray pants, tailored but casual, along with a white T-shirt with a grommet detail at the collar. “Nice work on the clothes!” I held up my hand for a high five. Another stylist success story.
“Uh, thanks.” Instead of moving aside so I could get in, Liam stared at me and blocked the door.
&
nbsp; “You all right?”
He blinked. “You look nice, too. Really nice.”
“Oh. Thanks.” I stepped around him to get in, but he shifted toward me at the same time and our bodies collided, practically fully pressed together. Liam’s eyes went wide and his hands flew up and back like an invisible referee called a time out.
“It’s okay, Liam. I’m not going to eat your face off.”
“I know that.”
We’d changed our clothes and suddenly: Awkward City. What was that all about?
At the party, an enterprising wannabe bouncer stopped us at the door of a modern house with Spanish styling. Liam cleared his throat. “Laurenti, plus one.”
The big dude checked his phone. “Already got a Laurenti.”
“That’s my brother. Look for another Laurenti.”
He turned the screen toward us. “The list is alphabetical. See, one Laurenti.”
Liam sighed. “Oh, well.” He started to walk away.
I caught him by the shirtsleeve. “Hey, no giving up so soon.” Hello—new shoes, amazing outfit, and Ethan and Haylo were waiting inside for us.
Ethan appeared behind the bouncer. “Bro! You made it!” He smacked Liam’s shoulder. He looked over to me and spread his arms wide. “Amelia.”
I may have melted into a puddle right there. Why did he have this effect on me from simply saying my name? I was going to owe Maya and Des so many future apologies.
Ten seconds of conversation with the big dude, and Ethan had us walking into the house. Marble floors led to an open space with a grand piano in the corner. A DJ was set up, though no music played. Girls in rainbow variety minidresses danced and draped themselves over guys.
“Cut!” someone said and clapped twice. “Let’s get some exterior shots. Haylo?”
The director ushered Haylo outside and snapped his fingers at Ethan with a gesture to follow. He ignored the director and turned to us. “This should be, like, only ten minutes tops. In the meantime, hang out. Meet some people.” He dashed off.
I turned to Liam. He examined the surroundings with a scowl, realized he was scowling, and adjusted to neutral. Then, a light in his eyes like he’d remembered something important.
Alterations Page 19