Chapter Eight
Date Night
Adreana
I sit in front of the vanity that used to belong to my mother staring at myself in the mirror, into green eyes that also belonged to her. Sometimes it hurts to look at myself since I look so much like her. Emma has long since changed her appearance so drastically she barely resembles the woman who gave birth to us. I’ve even caught her wearing blue contact lenses.
How can one person want so badly to be someone she isn’t? It hurts my head just trying to figure it out.
Emma glares at me from the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame.
“So, you’re kicking me out of the only house I’ve ever known?” She is trying to push my buttons, but I won’t let her.
“No. I am offering to buy your half. At market value might I add,” I reply, swiping mascara across my lashes. “Please stop pretending you give a shit about this house, or me for that matter. We both know you would rather be anywhere else in the world. You don’t belong here.”
“Don’t you dare judge me, Adreana.”
No one calls me by my full name, but she is trying to remind me that no one knows me better than she does. What she seems to forget is that I know her just as well and I can see through her ruse.
“I’m not judging,” I say, looking directly at her. “I am merely stating the facts as we both know them to be. You’ve always believed you were too good for this house, this life, and whatever is left of this family.”
She looks like I’ve slapped her. It’s the first real emotion I’ve seen in ages and I almost feel bad. But I can’t constantly put my life on hold for my sister, especially if she isn’t willing to do the same for me.
“Just take the money and go,” I say, returning my attention to the mirror. “I don’t care what you do anymore. Chase after Mana, or whoever. Just know that I will be changing the locks come morning.”
“Addi,” she says softly, drawing my attention. “You know I love you, right?”
She looks like a sixteen-year-old for a moment, and I almost cave. But I can’t forget all the shit she has put me through in the past couple of years.
“I know you love me, Em. But sometimes love isn’t enough. You don’t like or respect me and to be blunt, I feel the same way. So, I think it’s time we cut our losses.”
The doorbell rings, drawing her attention from our conversation. Before I can stop her, she is already out of my room and heading downstairs.
I know who is on the other side of the door and I was rather hoping Emma would be gone before he showed up. But true to his text, it’s seven o’clock and he’s here to pick me up for our date.
“You’re looking fine,” Emma says in a sultry tone.
I walk down the stairs slowly, listening to their conversation.
“Thank you,” Kaleb says, but I can hear the edge to his voice.
“What brings you around here? I’ll be at Harken later tonight.” Emma flirts.
“First, you need to stop touching me.” Anger laces his words. “I didn’t consent to you putting your hands on me. Second, I’m here to take Addi out.”
“Addi?”
“Yes, your sister.”
“Addi?”
It’s like the girl doesn’t understand English all of a sudden, and I want to smack her. It isn’t that hard to understand. Stepping up beside her, I smile at the man who begged and bartered for this opportunity.
My nerves get the better of me and I run my sweaty hands over my stonewashed skinny jeans. I didn’t know where he wanted to take me tonight so I kept it pretty but casual. Skinny jeans, black pumps, and a flowy white and slate gray blouse that shows off my shoulders.
“Wow!” he says with a smile the moment he sees me. “You’re looking stunning, sweetness.”
An unwanted blush spreads across my cheeks. I swear to all that’s holy I am trying to keep my cool, but it’s not easy when a guy like Kaleb pays you attention. It feels like a caress as he skims his gaze over every inch of me. Not that he is hard on the eyes, either.
Dark jeans and a fitted, bright blue t-shirt show off all the muscles he hides in his work uniform. And that smile is enough to have grown women swooning.
“Adreana,” Emma says beside me. “What’s going on?”
I roll my eyes so hard I worry they might get stuck. Again, with this first name bullshit? “I told you I was going on a date,” I say, hoping she’ll drop the situation.
“With a guy you knew I had a thing for?” She crosses her arms under her breasts, forcing them higher on her chest, her powder pink tank top leaving little to the imagination. She isn’t wearing a bra, and the fabric is almost see-through.
I give Kaleb a side look to assess whether he is staring only to find him standing beside his matte black muscle car.
“Do we really need to do this now?” I ask. “You don’t really want Kaleb. You’re just pissed he doesn’t want you.”
My sister steps into my personal space, rage burning in her emerald gaze that is so much like mine. “We’re done.” Malice drips from every word out of her mouth. “I’ll make sure to be gone whenever you get home with your new fuck toy.”
She makes sure her words are loud enough for Kaleb to hear. Maybe if he thinks I’m like her, he’ll be less interested in me … then neither of us will have him.
“Fine.” I sigh, walking away. “I’ll wire the money in the morning.”
But Emma doesn’t hear my words as she slams the front door. I’m sure she is going to break a bunch of shit just to let me know how angry she really is. And I’ll have to go through all my stuff to assess what she’s taken with her. But I’m finally free.
I know that sounds super fucked-up, but all I want is to breathe. To live. To be myself without constantly having to raise a whore-woman who acts like a spoiled fucking child. She wants to act like a grown-up when life is going well but throws tantrums like a toddler the moment anything doesn’t go her way. I’m done acting like a parent. It’s time to start living my own life.
“Are you okay?” Kaleb asks as he holds the passenger side door open for me. “We can do this another night.”
I place a kiss on his cheek. “You wanted a date. Show me what you got, handsome.”
I slide into the seat, buttery-soft leather holding me in place. It’s divine. And exactly what I need right now. Kaleb hops in and cranks the engine, allowing the V8 to roar to life. Damn, my dad would have loved this car.
I shake off the melancholy threatening to overcome me. “Where are we going?”
“Sweetness, anywhere you want,” he says and chuckles. “I don’t actually have a plan, I just want to spend time with you.”
I grin at his words. Never has anyone said anything like this to me. It’s flattering and overwhelming at the same time. Damn, there goes that blush again.
“What’s your favorite food?” Kaleb asks. “And for all that’s holy please don’t say tofu.”
“And if I do?” I ask with a straight face.
The look of horror on his face has me bursting into giggles.
“Then we’ll eat tofu and rabbit food for dinner,” he replies with a grimace as he tries his best to hide his smile.
“Dear God, just not that,” I say smiling in return. “I’m a red meat girl. Steak and burgers make me happy.”
“Is that what it takes to make you truly happy?” he asks, suddenly serious.
“No. Bacon and coffee make me truly happy. But you can start with a decent burger.”
****
The date is going better than I expected. Kaleb stopped at a little burger shack I’ve never seen before and got us each a big bacon and cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. Then he drove to the bank of the Willamette River where we’ve been sitting for the better part of an hour, eating our burgers and not talking about any damn thing in particular.
I have learned a few things about Kaleb, though.
He is rich, like stupid rich. His mother died when he was three and left him a mega trust fund, but he doesn’t like people to know. He has been taken advantage of many times before and doesn’t want it to happen again. So, he works as a bartender and lives in a modest apartment. Just like any other normal guy in Portland.
I know he prefers quality over quantity. Food, drink, friends. He would rather have one great thing than ten mediocre things.
And lastly, he loves dogs. Which would have been a deal- breaker for me if he didn’t. I thought he was lying, but he showed me some photos on his phone of his previous pooch.
“I haven’t felt right getting a new dog,” he explained. “Not just because I still miss my buddy, Marshall. But because I spend more time at Harken than at home. It just wouldn’t have been fair.”
“I understand that,” I reply with a smile. “But I don’t know what I would do without Daisy.”
He laughs at the videos I have on my phone. Daisy chasing butterflies, Daisy stealing apples from the tree in the yard. Daisy just being a regular, hyperactive pittie.
A cold wind blows over us, and a shiver works its way down my spine.
“Mana wants to see you.”
“Fuck!” I yell, falling off the hood of Kaleb’s muscle car. Glaring up, I see the man who saved me from being assaulted last night.
Kaleb’s anger radiates off him in waves. “I told Mana I was done. We had an agreement.”
“Not you,” the muscular blond replies, nodding in my direction.
Kaleb helps me up as I glare. “I don’t have a damn thing to do with Mana, and certainly nothing to say to him.”
“Why are you here, Lethe?” Kaleb asks.
Lethe? What a strange fucking name. Actually, it suits the strange man.
“Mana sent me,” he replies, sounding robotic. I wonder if he is also sampling the drug supply at Harken. “Be glad I’m being decent. Well, I think I am.” He frowns in confusion, flexing his hands at his sides. “He wanted me to fuck with your date.”
“What?” I demand.
“But you looked so happy, smiling with Kaleb,” he says softly. “I didn’t want that to end.”
My heart breaks a little for him. He reminds me of Daisy when I first adopted her. Wanting to be loyal but not quite sure what was expected of her. I wonder what happened to this mountain of a man to make him look so terribly fucking lost.
“Tell Mana I’ll be there at ten.”
Lethe looks doubtful. I smile, hoping to reassure him.
“Fine.” And then he walks off into the surrounding trees, disappearing into the dark.
“You don’t have to do this,” Kaleb says, drawing me against his chest and hugging me tightly.
“I need to make him understand that he doesn’t own me. He and Emma can do whatever they want. But I am done with both of them and that fucking asylum he calls home.”