by Ruby Vincent
Caroline’s smile could have lit the space. “There you are, dear. How do you like your room? If it’s too small, we can move you.”
“It’s perfect.” I stopped at the head of the table and kissed her cheek. Ryder sat on her left and the staff held out the chair for me on her right. “Thank you for letting me stay.”
“You are welcome here anytime. I’m sure Ryder will be glad of your company too.” She gave him a knowing look that made my brows shoot up.
“Is that right, Ryder Shea? Do you want me around?”
“He most certainly does. He talks about you all the time. I heard your name all summer.”
Ryder looked between me and Caroline as I stifled a giggle. “I’m seeing now that this is going to be very bad for me.”
Caroline and I laughed out loud and soon Ryder joined in. My visit had just started and already I was enjoying myself. This was exactly what I wanted and more.
We kept up the playful teasing and chatter for the whole of dinner. A dinner that was equal parts delicious and surprising. I expected twelve courses and food I couldn’t pronounce, but instead the chef served up baked macaroni and lemon chicken. It reminded me of the simple meals I cooked at home for Adam while he watched me in his high chair.
“I hope you like classic movies, Valentina.” Caroline held Jacob’s hand as he escorted her to the theater. “I told my son there is nothing else worth watching.”
“And I told Mom that once she gives in to high-definition and special effects; she’ll leave those over-acted classics in the past.”
Caroline gasped. “Over-acted? How dare you. Those are the greatest entertainers in our history. I can assure you none of those exploding, car-chase headaches will be celebrated in film history classes.”
Their banter went on while I hung back and watched. Ryder slid into Jacob’s place halfway to the theater and he ended up escorting her. They were a cute pair. I felt lucky to see them both happy and relaxed.
“Valentina?” Caroline called. “Where did you go?”
“Coming.”
Their home theater wasn’t so much big as it was cozy. Eight leather recliner chairs took up one side of the room and before them was a screen that covered the whole front wall. Ryder sat between me and his mom while Jacob was a silent figure in the back row.
The staff wheeled in a tray with six flavors of popcorn and at random times during the movie Ryder would twist his head around with his mouth open so I could throw some in. Our chuckles made Caroline shush us but we were both having so much fun.
Caroline went to bed early after the movie finished, but Ryder and I stayed to watch some more. He dug out a few that had been made in this century and we snuggled in to watch. His hand on the armrest between us drew my eyes away from the screen every few minutes. Now that it was just the two of us, I could think about nothing but his fingers laced through mine.
“Val? Val?”
I snapped back to reality, dragging my eyes away from his hand. “Huh? What is it?”
“I asked if you wanted more popcorn.”
“Sure. Chocolate, please.”
He stood and filled our bowl with more goodies from the cart. When he reclaimed his seat, he set the bowl in his lap.
“It’s so good.” I reached for another handful. “I can’t get—”
I was stopped by Ryder. His fingers curled over mine and pulled them away from the chocolatey kernels.
“Let me,” he whispered.
I swallowed hard. My pulse quickened under his touch.
Ryder took one kernel and pressed it to my lips. I slowly parted them and let him place the popcorn on my tongue. My lips wrapped around his fingers as our eyes connected in the darkened room. He lingered as he pulled out, caressing my lips with his thumb.
My heart was thumping so loudly in my ears it drowned out the movie. Feeding me popcorn seemed tame, but this was one of the most intimate moments of my life.
My tongue darted out and licked the tip of his finger before he could pull back. A thrill surged through me when he sucked in a breath. “Are you sure about the separate rooms?” I asked.
“A lot less sure than I was an hour ago.”
Ryder twisted to face the screen. I would have been more disappointed if he wasn’t still holding my hand.
We made it through one more flick before my eyes started to droop. After the movie, Ryder walked me up to my room and said good night at the door.
The next morning, I woke early but stayed in bed. My phone was in one hand, and in the other, was the list of suspects. I had taken to pulling it out and going over it in the mornings and this morning was no different.
The List
Penelope Madlow
Darren Rosewood
Lola McConnell
Emma Brinker
Eric Eden
Ciara O’Brien
Claire Montgomery
Cade Trevelyan
Axel Leon
Genesis Smith
Professor Markham
Professor Felton
Professor Coleman
I went through them all over again. The professors did not have to put their phones in the box, but these three had gone on the winter trip and I knew Ace was there. I had the ski-induced lump on my head to prove it. I didn’t want to think they were involved, but Scarlett had taught me not to rule anyone out.
My eyes moved to the top of the list and Penelope Madlow. Penelope was not my friend before I was marked, but after she was only too happy to take me down.
Not to mention she’s accusing me of lying about Scarlett and why I was marked. Why is she so determined not to believe me?
I wrote that down next to her name and underlined it.
Then there was Darren. A sleazy, shady dude if there ever was one. He wasn’t only awful to me when I was marked, but he kept it up after the mark was lifted. Darren did not like me and that most likely had to do with the Evergreen Gone Wild video.
Maybe he followed me into the woods to get revenge. I had a secret phone stashed away. He might have had one too for the purpose of getting something he could use.
I was quick to write that down. That made a lot of sense.
The next two names had nothing beside them. I didn’t know Lola and Emma well, except that they started the bullying about me having an eating disorder. All I knew for sure about them is that their phones were missing from the box when I got that text.
I paused over the three names under Emma. I made myself write them down when we made this list all those months ago, but I did not want to believe it. Ace seemed to harbor real hatred of me. It came through loud and clear when they made me cut my hair, kiss Kai, and tried to force me to strip. Eric, Claire, and Ciara would have had to be phenomenal actors to hide that hatred all the times they were around me.
Eric does hold the traditions of the school very highly, a voice countered. His whole family does. He dropped me not once, but twice.
But he also stood up for me when I came out about Scarlett, I thought. Maybe he’s not so entrenched in the traditions after all.
Thinking of that morning reminded me of Claire’s tears. Would Ace have gotten sick and cried for me? Could I even suspect a girl who came from the same side of the tracks that I did of being Ace?
Groaning, I tossed the list aside. I wasn’t narrowing it down. I was just going around and around in circles until it made me dizzy. The truth is the way people are acting now that the knowledge of Scarlett is out doesn’t help me. Someone patting me on the back and saying they’re on my side could still be Ace. They could have had a change of heart after finding out they blackmailed me over defending myself from a pedophile.
If Ace even cares about that. I don’t know what they feel because my phone hasn’t buzzed with a single message. I don’t know what any of this means.
A knock on the door saved me before I could go down the rabbit hole again.
“Come in.”
Ryder let himself inside. “Morning. Mom s
ent me to see if you were ready for breakfast. She wants to leave for the bank in...” Ryder trailed off when he saw the list lying on the carpet. He picked it up but didn’t put it in my hand when I reached out.
“Ryder,” I said when he put it in his pocket. “I need that.”
“We both know you have it memorized. Can I ask you for something?” My hand was still outstretched. He took it and helped me out of bed. “This weekend... can we do normal again?”
I opened my mouth to refuse. There was no normal anymore. Police, secret societies, murders, and blackmail had seen to it that we couldn’t have normal again for a long time.
“Okay.” I blinked when that word tumbled out. “Normal would be nice.”
“Thank you.” Ryder’s smile transformed his already perfect face into a work of art. My breath caught as those silver pools drowned me.
“It’s not fair how beautiful you are,” I whispered. He pressed his finger to my lips and memories of the night before flooded in.
“What’s not fair is how much I want to kiss you right now.”
“Then why don’t you?”
He stepped back and the finger was gone. “Now isn’t the right time. Mom is waiting.”
I sighed. “Maybe if you told me what the right time is. What are you waiting for, Ryder? I thought you had gotten past the belief that you didn’t deserve me.”
“I don’t deserve you. I never will.”
My throat tightened at hearing him say that. It hurt more that he sounded like he believed it.
Stepping up to him, I folded my arms. “You want normal? Then how about this: this weekend we are a normal couple with a boring past. You never tried to drown me or throw me off a roof. I never outed a dark family secret and tried to destroy your life. We’re totally different people. You’re Lincoln Mandelbaum from the local high school. I’m Marie Freebush. You saw me across the lunchroom, asked me out, and tonight we are having our first date. Deal?”
“Lincoln Mandelbaum and Marie Freebush? Where the hell did you come up with those names?”
I jabbed his chest. “Do we have a deal, Lincoln?”
He laughed. “Only if you never call me that again.” Ryder backed away toward the door. “Get dressed, Marie. After you come back, we have normal couple shit to do.”
I did as he asked and then went down for breakfast. Caroline was up and dressed in her best when I came down. A chic, wraparound dress covered her from collarbone to ankle and thick shades perched on her nose. They matched nicely with the floppy hat that obscured part of her face.
We ate quickly and then headed out. The trip to the bank was quick and painless. After we wrapped up the details, I called Mom the moment we stepped outside.
“I did it, Mom. We’re middle class once again.”
She chuckled. “Not so middle class when you’re hoarding enough diamond earrings and gold necklaces to feed a small country. You have expensive taste, kid.”
“Oh no. I don’t have to give those back too, do I?” I asked, half-joking.
She laughed at me again, but quickly sobered. “This is good for us, baby. We’re going to start over on the right foot.”
I smiled. “Lincoln and Marie.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Can you put Adam on?”
“Sure.”
My cheerful baby came on the phone and I cooed over him while we rode back to the manor. We said goodbye when the driver passed through their gates.
“Valentina?” Caroline said when I hung up.
“Yes?”
“It’s such a nice day. Will you sit with me by the pool?”
The car came to a halt. Jacob walked around the vehicle and was there to take Caroline’s hand when she opened the door.
“I’d love to.”
“Wonderful,” she said over her shoulder. “Give me an hour to rest and then I’ll meet you out there.”
I searched for Ryder in the meantime and found him in the kitchen—one of the kitchens. An assortment of colorful foods was spread out in front of him. I watched him for a minute while he chopped carrots.
“So Lincoln can cook.”
Ryder twisted around and found me leaning against the countertop. “Hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“What are you making?”
“Corned beef and cabbage.” He went back to chopping as I drew closer. “My grandmother used to make it for Mom when she was little. I taught myself how to cook it.”
“That’s sweet.” I picked up a potato and began cleaning it under cool water. If I was going to be here, I might as well help. “You’re going to put your chef out of a job at this rate.”
“Mom won’t always eat his cooking, but she feels bad when she doesn’t finish what I make for her.”
My hands still beneath the water. “Does she often... not finish meals?”
Ryder didn’t look up from his task. “She doesn’t always have an appetite.”
I let it drop. “Can I help you? Show me what to do.”
“Will you chop the cabbage while I peel the potatoes?”
We switched places and got to work. There was an easy atmosphere while we cooked. We talked and laughed over the bubbling pot.
“Your mother’s family is from Ireland,” I repeated. “Have you ever been there?”
“A few times when I was little. We haven’t visited much since my grandparents passed away.”
“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know her parents were gone. I was realizing now how much more I needed to learn about Ryder and Caroline. “Your mom must love that you give her a piece of her childhood back by making the foods she loves.” I bumped his hip. “If you’re not careful, I’m going to start thinking you have a soft, gooey center.”
He bumped me back. “Does that mean I’m not irritating as fuck anymore?”
“Nope. You’re definitely still irritating. You can be both.”
He turned on me with a smirk. “What was it you said the other day? Something about going the right way for a spanked bottom?”
Ryder advanced on me as my eyes widened. “I definitely did not say anything about spanking.”
“That’s what I remember.” Ryder stalked me, eyes darkening as my heart rate doubled.
“Don’t you dare, Ryder Shea.” I backed into the countertop and hurriedly slid along the rounded edge.
“But isn’t that what a normal boyfriend would do?”
“No!” I forced out. I couldn’t breathe, I was laughing so hard. “You stay back, Lincoln.”
“That’s it.” He leaped forward, grabbing for me, and I darted away. I made it two steps before his strong arms encircled me and lifted me up.
His laughter rumbled against my back as he held me. It echoed mine. This was everything to me. I wanted us to laugh and grow closer.
“You can’t spank me.” I leaned my head back and peered at him through my lashes. “But you can do a few other things with me. Things that a boyfriend would definitely do. Want me to go into detail?”
His grip tightened. “Fuck, Val,” he hissed. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”
“Not at all.”
“I should have known that. Making things hard is what you do.” He put his mouth to my ear and his hot breath sent shivers up my spine. “Making me hard is what you do.”
The words passed through me and went straight to my core. “Let’s go upstairs. Now.”
“W-we can’t.” To be fair, it sounded like it physically hurt him to say that. “Mom is waiting for you and I have to make sure she eats.”
He was right. This tiny peek into their lives was opening my eyes to how much Ryder did to care for his mother. I didn’t want to get in the way no matter how much I wanted to be with him.
“Can we spend time together afterward?” I asked.
“I was planning on it.” He set me on my feet. “I’m way behind on my ‘labors.’ One of the things I wanted to do this weekend was make up for that.”
“Really?�
�� The boys had done so many wonderful things for me to show how sorry they were. The day Ryder and I spent with Adam in Santa’s village was one of the best Christmas memories I had—despite Adam beating up Santa. “I can’t wait.”
We gazed into each other’s eyes, smiling, and then Ryder bent his head. My eyes fluttered shut in anticipation of the kiss I had been waiting for. They snapped open when Ryder pressed that kiss to my forehead.
“You should go. Don’t want to keep Mom waiting.”
“Okay.” I wasn’t sure if he picked up on my disappointment. I stepped away and made for the pool. Ryder was back at the stove before I left the room.
I noticed Caroline had changed clothes when I walked out onto the terrace. The dress was gone in favor of a sweater and pants, but they seemed more comfortable. That wasn’t the only addition. A bundle of fur occupied her lap, purring loud enough for me to hear as Caroline stroked her.
“There are you,” she said.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I was helping Ryder make corned beef and cabbage.” I sat in the patio chair beside her and reached for the cat. “Hello, Cara. I still like your old name better.”
Caroline laughed. “Is he cooking for me again? I want him to relax when he’s home, but Ryder insists on fussing over me. He has such a good heart.” Her eyes grew unfocused as she gazed across the pool. “I’m glad I did one thing right in my life.”
That sounded so close to what Mom said to me in the courtyard that it prompted me to reply. “He’s not the only thing. You’ve done a lot of good.”
“Thank you for saying so.” She placed her hand on top of mine. “But I must admit, this is not the life I saw for myself.”
“What kind of life did you want?”
“I thought I would write, paint, travel the world, and fill a home with children. All of that seemed possible when I was at Evergreen.”
“It’s still possible. You can do anything you want now.”
That Benjamin is gone.
I let that thought hang in the air between us.
“No... I can’t.”
The mood had shifted. I wasn’t sure how or why it had happened so fast, but Caroline’s smile was dimming and the cat’s purring stopped as her hand stilled. I cast about for a subject change as the silence stretched. In the end, it was Ryder who broke it.