Stay

by Emily Evans

  “Is it weird that I’m nervous?” Mia pulled a brush and then the heated straight iron through her hair, getting ready for her first official date with Alexi. She touched up the back, and then unplugged the hot iron.

  “Not at all.” Hope smiled. “It’s weird that I am, though.”

  Mia shook her head. “Not after the fuss Dad made. I don’t envy you telling Niko you can’t move back in until after the wedding.”

  “I haven’t even missed the loft. But if it makes Mom and Dad happy, and not worried, well, I can wait to live with Niko. I think.” Hope bit her lip. She went over and knelt beside Mia. “I’m sorry about moving you in with Niko. It was very selfish and thoughtless.”

  Mom and Dad had gotten to Hope. “Don’t say that.” Mia gestured toward the door. “They’ll come around. They just need to get to know Niko better.”

  “I understand now that people have been gossiping about you, and I didn’t notice,” Hope said.

  “People like Willow don’t matter to…” Mia shut up when tears welled in Hope’s eyes. Maybe Hope hadn’t known about Willow.

  Hope grasped her hands. “Mom and Dad are right in what they said. I went through high school without anyone gossiping about where I lived, and I was safe. I’m not taking proper care of you. You’re a kid, and I didn’t look out for you.” The tears spilled out.

  Mia gave her a hug and patted her back. Man, Mom and Dad had worked her over. Guilt twisted inside her for throwing Hope to their parents for a distraction. “It’s okay. Shhh, we’re okay. Look at me. We’re better than okay, we’re happy. Mom and Dad will know that soon, okay? Let’s just give them a little time to see it. I’m sorry about their homecoming. I know I made it harder.”

  Hope squeezed her back, and then left her to get ready.

  Mia stayed upstairs until she heard the doorbell ring. Given her parents strong reaction to the situation, she decided to get a read on the room before rushing in. She went down as far as the landing and peaked into the front room. From her position, she could see through the crack between the door and the wall and hear everything.

  Alexi was looking around their nice, homey-home, from the mantle covered with pictures of her sister and her to the bookshelves filled with books and framed artworks. She’d bet money he was thinking he’d been wrong about her parents abandoning her. Their front room wasn’t a showcase for fancy possessions; it was a display of family mementos.

  Dad stood at the mahogany sideboard that he’d inherited from his grandfather. “Drink?”

  His offer was a test.

  Alexi inclined his head. “Water’s fine.”

  Smart. He’d been below the Bible Belt long enough to recognize that trap.

  Niko took water, too.

  Good. They were going to need their wits.

  Niko elbowed Alexi.

  Alexi shot his brother an annoyed look. “I apologize for trying to stop you from taking Mia from the room earlier.”

  Mia held in a snicker.

  “Really?” Dad asked. “That was the only thing I approved of during the whole mess. At least it looked like you cared.”

  Alexi’s expression turned from annoyed to justified.

  Dad rolled a tumbler between his hands and gestured for the guys to sit down on the sofa. “So you want to take Mia out?”

  Alexi nodded.

  “Even though your brother hopes to marry Mia’s sister?”

  “Even then.”

  “How are your grades, Alexander?”

  How intrusive. Mia briefly closed her eyes and opened them again so she wouldn’t miss anything. Alexi had been candid with her about the quality of American public schools versus English boarding schools. Now was not the time, though.

  Alexi opened his mouth, but Niko answered quickly instead. “All A’s. Alexi is an exceptional student.”

  “The food is not very good,” Alexi said.

  Dad laughed. “I’m not surprised. And which university do you plan to attend?”

  Niko sat up and looked interested in the answer.

  “I’m undecided.” Alexi leaned back to take a drink of water.

  Her father’s gaze met his with a steady look. “I understand that Mia talked to her mother about birth control this morning.”

  Chapter 30

  Please. Mom had lectured. She had listened.

  Alexi choked on his drink and coughed. He set the glass down on the coffee table and sucked in a breath. He glanced at Niko for help.

  Niko frowned. He turned toward Alexi. “You will be respectful of Mia. She’s going to be my sister-in-law. She’s in high school. This is not okay. If you care for her, you can wait until you are married, until she is out of college, until she is much older, until—” His words were low and spoken in Greek, but she got most of it.

  Dad raised a hand. “English, please.”

  “That is not happening,” Niko said. “I will have Hope talk to Mia.”

  The French doors that led to the kitchen opened and Hope entered the front room wearing a floating romantic-style dress. “What’s not happening?”

  Niko rose immediately, went over and took her hands. He acted as if they’d been apart for months instead of a day. He brushed her cheek with his hand. “I missed you. Come home with me.”

  Alexi grimaced.

  Hope beamed up at Niko, and she glowed. Dad had to see how happy they were together.

  Dad cleared his throat. “Hope knows it’s important to set a good example. Mia’s still a teenager, and she looks up to her big sister.”

  Without letting go of Hope’s hands, Niko frowned at Alexi and spoke insistently in Greek. “Birth control fails. Promise me—not while in high school.”

  “Yes,” Alexi said.

  Hearing her name tossed around was super annoying.

  Niko led Hope to the sofa and sat her on the end. “You can trust Alexi.”

  Dad gave a pointed look at Hope’s hands, which were clasped on top of her knees. “And when do you plan on formally getting engaged to Hope?”

  Mom came in from the kitchen, taking the same route that Hope had and arched her eyebrows. “Evening, everyone. Looks like I’ve walked in on the question of the night.”

  Niko’s lips tightened, and his hand tightened on Hope’s arm as if they were trying to physically pull her away from him. Mia watched Niko fight his instincts to just take Hope and leave. There was at least a fifty-fifty chance he would.

  “I was thinking you could do a painting or a sketch of me, as an engagement gift for Niko,” Alexi said. This was a supreme sacrifice for him.

  Niko looked at him with approval, and his shoulders relaxed. Hope tilted her head this way and that. She got the obsessed painter look on her face. Niko smiled and patted Alexi’s knee.

  “Yes, yes, I could do that.” Hope shifted on the cushion to face her parents. “Niko and I are planning on a spring wedding,”

  “That’s wonderful, dear.” Mom slipped into the gray high-back chair and shook off Dad’s offer of a drink. “Now, if y’all want to do this right, you can be a June bride. That way, you can live here or at the loft until after Mia’s graduation in May. That would be very proper.”

  June was not in the springtime. It was summer. Hope paled.

  Niko stiffened. He shook his head. “Not summer, no.”

  “Well, autumn is lovely, too. That’s actually a good idea, Niko. It’ll give us a full year to plan the wedding.”

  Hope covered her mouth.

  Niko could handle any other topic with decisive ruthlessness. How was he losing so much ground with Mom? This was not a good sign for the future. No way Niko would wait a year to be with Hope. Niko touched Hope’s hair. He held her hand and smiled at her then he kissed her hand.

  Hope smiled back at him. “I don’t want to wait.”

  “Tonight,” Niko said. “Come home with me tonight.”

  Eyes brightening, Hope lifted her hand to touch Niko’s face. A yes formed on her lips.

  “Out of
the question,” Dad answered for her.

  Hope’s hand dropped back to her lap, and she looked down.

  “We can get married tonight.” Niko picked up his phone. “I’ll call for the jet and—”

  Dad cut him off. “Absolutely not. People will say Hope had to get married.”

  Hope blushed bright red, and rubbed her temple with trembling fingers.

  “You lecture Alexi, but would have no problem shaming our other daughter with a rushed, half-baked wedding?” Dad said.

  They should have let Mom and Dad get over the jet lag before they all met again. Tired people were grouchy people. Enough eavesdropping. She knew she had to alter their focus. She entered the room wearing a halter top with the water bra, a mini skirt, and high heels.

  Alexi choked on his water.

  Niko started in on her in Greek, something about doing her part, and look what had happened since she had left the excellent influence of his household.

  “Upstairs and change, Mia,” Dad said.

  Mia turned and went back into the hall. That was better—common ground. At least they were yelling at her and not each other. She grabbed the cotton sweater she’d brought down with her and kicked off the stilettos. That was a relief. She slid on flats, pulled on the snowflake-design sweater and clipped her hair up with a blue bow. Yep, cute and respectable. A minute later, she went back in the room, hoping she’d diffused the earlier tension and maybe given Dad and Niko something to agree on. Everyone was talking at once.

  “Mia is…” Hope said.

  “I’ve never seen…” Mom said.

  “This was your fault…” Dad said.

  “Mia did not dress that way when Hope was taking care of her,” Niko said.

  Oh, no, was he accusing Dad of being lax? They should be joining forces, not arguing. They were going to be family. Hope and Niko were a great couple, and Dad needed to see that. “When Hope and Niko are married—”

  “We haven’t decided about that,” Mom said.

  Niko rose.

  Hope clutched his arm, and he sat back down, holding her hand.

  “It’s okay, Niko,” Mia said in Greek. “They mean well.”

  “It’s not okay. They are trying to keep her,” he said in Greek, upset. “She’s not a child; she belongs with me.”

  “English, please,” Dad said.

  “They speak in Greek all the time,” Hope said to Mom and Dad, then turned to her. “Alexi’s going to let me paint him for Niko.”

  She’d love to see a painting of him. One by Hope would be amazing and nothing could have made her happier at that moment. Mia squeezed between Alexi and Niko on the couch. She took Alexi’s hand. He was wonderful, so thoughtful. Dad stared, so Mia let go.

  “We shouldn’t have gone on that trip,” Dad said.

  “Please, before we left, we gave them a simple list of rules to follow,” Mom said. “The girls just chose not to follow them. Girls. You remember the list you agreed to?”

  Chapter 31

  Hope blushed. Mia raised her chin. Alexi looked at Mia and held up ten fingers. She nodded approvingly. He had learned that American lesson. Rules came in packs of ten.

  “What were the rules?” Mom asked.

  “No drinking,” Hope said.

  “We only have wine with dinner,” Alexi said.

  Hope shot him a warning look. “No musicians,” Hope said with confidence. She must be thinking they’d followed that rule.

  “Correct, and a boy showed up this morning for Mia with purple hair,” Dad said. “Wearing a band T-shirt.”

  Must be Quinn.

  “Yes,” Alexi said with Dad. “Yes, he is a musician, and you are right about him.”

  Mia frowned at him.

  “Stay with me, not Lauren,” Hope said, listing the rules, as if it would appease Mom and Dad.

  Alexi said, “It was only the one time, and Hope sent me right after Mia. You’re right about her, too.”

  Mia thumped the side of his leg. “Stop helping.”

  Mom eyed her hand. “No sleep-overs with boys.”

  Mia gave Alexi a straight-on stare, daring him to open his mouth.

  Alexi’s eyes opened wide, and he shook his head at her.

  “This rule applied to you, too, Hope,” Dad said.

  Mia giggled. She couldn’t help it.

  Dad gave her the look. She stopped giggling, but she couldn’t stop the grin. Hope never got in trouble, ever. What a change, poor Hope. “They’re engaged.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Dad said.

  Niko opened his mouth, and Dad lifted a hand indicating he’d like to finish. “I don’t see a ring.”

  “And no one phoned to ask for our blessing,” Mom said.

  Niko’s face softened. “I love Hope. I proposed. She accepted. I ask for your blessing and forgiveness for my thoughtlessness, but we will be married.” He dropped to one knee beside Hope, took her left hand in his and slid an engagement ring on it. He kissed her finger.

  Hope looked at the yellow diamond in the ring and got a huge smile on her face. “It’s my sunshine, like my painting.” Hope’s expression echoed his: happiness, love, and a life-long promise. She leaned into Niko and then pulled back to turn to Mom and Dad. She took a deep breath.

  “Let me see,” Mia said.

  Hope held up her hand, wiggling her fingers. The ring caught the light. Beautiful. Mia nodded in approval at Niko. She listed number five herself. “Curfew.”

  Hope smiled at Mia. “Mia stuck to her curfew and was in early each night.”

  Mom rolled her eyes, then glanced from Mia to Alexi. Her look said she wasn’t impressed—of course Mia was home each night, Alexi was living with her. “And.”

  Niko put an arm around Hope, and she looked at him when she said, “No trashy clothes.”

  Dad eyed Mia’s skirt in a pointed manner.

  “We have been very diligent about that one,” Niko said. “But we must talk to the school about the cheer uniforms.”

  “Yes…” Alexi said.

  Mia hit his arm to shut him up and threw out number seven because Mom and Dad would list them all. “Call if you need money.”

  “We checked Mia’s account,” Mom said. “It emptied and then grew.”

  “I took care of it,” Hope said.

  Mom’s lips tightened. “No pregnancy.”

  Hope shifted her gaze to Mia then looked away guiltily. Mia rolled her eyes at her sister. Not that look again, she’d told Hope she hadn’t slept with Alexi. She’d been yanking Niko’s chain. Alexi had not gotten her pregnant. Surely Hope believed her. She’d done a fine job looking out for her, better than she’d thought she would.

  “We’d really like to discuss number nine now,” Mom said with a glint in her eye and steel in her voice.

  Mia flinched. She’d been dreading number nine. Alexi’s arm tightened around her and she leaned into him.

  “You are responsible for your own actions.”

  “Mia, this was not all on Hope,” Mom said. “You should have called us and told us where you were living. You should have told us where Hope was living. You have to take care of Hope just as much as she takes care of you.”

  More usually.

  Hope never liked to see Mia chastised, so she quickly threw out the final rule. “No cheer accidents without reporting them to you.” Hope’s expression was a mixture of confidence and relief.

  “Mia’s school called to tell us that another kid made Mia fall off the top of a pyramid to mock her about her living situation. That was a joy to hear on the home machine.”

  Hope gasped and blushed. “I didn’t know about that.” Hope’s blush rushed away, leaving her face ashen. Sweat broke out on Hope’s face. She rushed from the room.

  Mia raced after her. “It’s over, Hope. It’s okay.”

  Hope shut herself into the hallway bathroom and retched. The water ran. Mia tapped on the door.

  Hope pushed it open, and Mia slipped in. “You okay?”
r />   Hope nodded. She leaned over the sink, rinsing her mouth. Lifting a shaky hand to her hot forehead, she let the sink hold her weight and then snagged a guest toothbrush from the drawer to brush her teeth.

  Maybe she was sick. As parent storms went, this hadn’t been a Category 5. Although Hope wasn’t used to anything but approval, so even mild disapproval must make her stomach twist.

  Hope left her wrists under the water and leaned her forehead against the sink mirror. She shivered.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  “Hope, are you all right?” Mom and Dad were outside the door.

  “Hope?” Niko sounded worried.

  Hope blushed and patted her face with the towel.

  “Hope?” Mia said.

  Hope met her eyes a second and opened the door. They moved to the hallway. Hope leaned into Niko.

  “Enough.” Niko brushed at a strand of Hope’s hair and hugged her to his side as he addressed their parents. “No more. We should have been stricter with the kids. But no more, not another word to Hope.”

  The kids?

  Dad nodded his approval for the first time that night.

  Hope pulled back. She wiped a trembling hand over her face, her eyes searching Niko’s. “I’m pregnant.”

  Niko’s eyes widened, his expression grew dazed. He pulled her closer, patted her back and murmured to her in Greek, small phrases, quiet phrases. Hope clung tightly to him.

  Mia slipped over to Alexi’s side. “Want to get outta here?”

  Alexi nodded. Mia hugged her sister and Niko, and then jerked her thumb at the door. Let’s go. Her wave to her parents was ignored, their eyes on Hope.

  ***

  Alexi held open the door to the limo. A nervous twinge hit her. This was their first real date. She smiled at him shyly and stayed quiet.

  Looking at her expression with curious eyes, he held out a hand. “I didn’t tell Niko who was hosting the party. He gave me enough of a lecture prior to allowing me out with you, and after that thing with your parents.” He shuddered. “It didn’t seem wise to mention it.”