Betrayal - Chapter 35
Thursday
“It’s a Thanksgiving present,” I said and pushed the wrapped package toward Matt.
He smiled at me. “There’s no such thing as a Thanksgiving present, baby.”
“Open it.” I tapped my hands on the top of the big box. I was so excited to see his reaction.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his eyes transfixed on my face instead of the huge wrapped gift in front of him.
“I swear, if you don’t open it, I will,” I said.
He laughed and looked back down at the box. “How did you even get this huge box up here?”
“Oh my God, Matt just open it!”
He smiled and tore the wrapping paper on the side. He pushed back the rest of the paper.
It was just a generic box. And when he went to lift the flap I held my breath. Please like it. Please don’t be upset. This could go one of two ways, and I just really hoped he loved it.
He didn’t say anything as he stared down at the contents of the box.
Oh no. He hates it.
He reached down and lifted up a paintbrush. “You got me painting supplies?” His eyes locked with mine.
“You said you used to love to paint with your aunt. And that you didn’t have as much time recently.
But now that you don’t have to chase me around anymore, you have a little more free time.
” He really does hate it. Maybe it was too soon.
When he’d told me about his aunt’s death, the story of them painting together had stuck with me.
I liked things that reminded me of my mom.
But that didn’t mean Matt wanted to be constantly reminded of his aunt.
God, what had I done? “I’m sorry.” I grabbed the brush out of his hand and tossed it back into the box with the canvases and paints. “I thought it might help with your stress, but it was stupid. I’m just making it worse.” I closed the lid.
“What? No, baby, I love it.” He opened the top of the box back up and pulled out the unassembled easel.
“You do?”
He started putting the easel together. “I have a much better idea than going to Thanksgiving at your dad’s house,” he said.
I just stared at him. I thought he was upset. But now he just looked super excited. “And what’s your idea?”
“I’m going to finish putting this together. And you’re going to get naked and lie on the bed so I can paint you.”
I laughed. “As wonderful as that sounds…we have to get going. I promised my dad we’d be there and I’m already nervous enough without being late. But maybe we can do that tonight? You really like it?”
He put the easel down on the ground. “I love it.” He pulled me into his arms. “I love you.” He placed a gentle kiss against my lips. “You’re going to be my muse.”
I laughed. “So just tons of nude portraits of me, huh?”
“You can wear clothes in some of them if you want. Definitely not necessary though.”
“You’re ridiculous.” I placed my head against his chest. “And I love you so much it hurts.” Truly. It felt like everything hurt today. My heart most of all. I was sure that Kennedy was never going to speak to me again.
“She’ll call you back, baby.”
I didn’t even know how he knew I was thinking about Kennedy. It was like he could read my mind. “What if she doesn’t?”
“She will.”
Kennedy hadn’t answered my dozens of texts and calls.
I hated that it was a holiday and Kennedy and I weren’t speaking.
I was so sorry. I never should have told anyone her secret.
Especially when she’d specifically asked me not to.
And now the whole freaking school knew. But I knew she was most upset about Felix knowing.
God, Felix. I didn’t know if Felix was sitting in a jail cell.
But he hadn’t answered my calls or texts either, and I was assuming the worst. Matt’s lawyers were supposed to help, but it was a holiday.
It didn’t seem like they’d have any news until at least tomorrow.
“Do you think I should tell my dad about Felix?” I asked. “It kind of seems like he has the cops in his pocket. He might be able to help.”
“That’s not a bad idea. But I’m sure my parents’ lawyers will update us soon.”
“Yeah. I hope so.”
“Come on, the sooner we get Thanksgiving number one over with the sooner you can be naked.”
Even though Matt seemed eager to get back, it took me forever to drag him out the door. And my stomach was twisted in knots.
“I still don’t understand why I was invited,” Mason said as we stood in the hall outside the Pruitts’ front door.
I wanted to tell him that I had no idea why either. But apparently my dad was rather persistent when it came to the fact that he thought Mason was a better suitor. I actually hadn’t known Mason had been invited until this morning.
“Mom and Dad were invited too,” Matt said. “But they’re busy getting ready for tomorrow.”
Mason laughed. “That’s a great excuse. I should have just told Mr. Pruitt I was washing my hair.”
That was a weird joke, but it made me laugh regardless. “It’s not going to be that bad,” I said and knocked on the door. I hope.
“But we’re missing the game,” Mason said.
“The Giants aren’t even playing, Mason.” It hadn’t taken me long to figure out that the Caldwells were huge Giants fans. They watched the games together as a family every Sunday.
“Yeah, but the Cowboys are playing. And we need to make fun of them.”
“Cowgirls,” Matt coughed into his hand.
I laughed. “I’m sure they’ll have the game on somewhere,” I said. But I wasn’t really sure. I’d never seen a TV in the Pruitts’ place. I assumed no television was one of the many rules I still hadn’t read.
“Princess,” my dad said as he opened the door. He pulled me into a hug. “Welcome home.” He kept his arm around my shoulders as he shook Matt’s hand. “And Mason, I’m so glad you could join us today.” He shook his hand too.
“Mhm,” Mason said. “Do you have the game on?”
My dad laughed. “Of course. I need to introduce Brooklyn to a few people. But Isabella can show you to the living room.”
I honestly couldn’t even remember where the living room was. But the last thing I wanted was for Isabella to show them anything. “I can show them real quick,” I said.
Isabella appeared from somewhere at the sound of her name. Like a witch. “Not necessary, Sissy. I’m more than happy to show them.”
I’m sure you are.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” she said as she slipped her arm through Matt’s and practically dragged him away from me.
“Come with me, princess,” my dad said. “I want you to meet the family.”
I looked over my shoulder to see Matt pushing Isabella’s hand off his arm.
Not today, Wizzy.
***
I couldn’t remember anyone’s names. I thought this was supposed to be an intimate family dinner. But there had to be at least 40 people here. And I was beginning to wonder if every uncle I met was actually a relative or not.
“Dad,” I said as he pulled me away from a girl that I knew for a fact was related to Isabella. Because they looked almost the same and she was rude to me. “Remember my friend Felix Green?” I asked. “Who lives in this building?”
“Of course.”
“Someone planted drugs in his locker at school. He got arrested and the principal is threatening expulsion. Could you maybe…help him get off?”
He smiled down at me. “You want me to take care of it?”
“Yes.” I knew it came out as more of a question than a direct answer. But the way he’d said take care of it gave me pause.
“It’s not so bad to have connections,” my dad said.
That was true. I just wasn’t sure his connections were on the up and up.
“Anything else I need to know about what happened with Felix before I make a call?”
“No, he’s innocent.” Several weeks ago, he wouldn’t have been. But Felix was trying to be better. His past mistakes shouldn’t ruin his future. There was one piece of information that my dad needed to know though. “I guess you should probably know that Cupcake and Isabella framed him.”
My dad looked down at me. “Cupcake?”
“Joe Dickson. He’s a kid from school. I think Isabella is sort of dating him. I’m almost positive that they put the drugs in Felix’s locker. Isabella said something to me a little while ago about breaking everyone around me. I think she’s trying to make everyone hate me so that I leave town.”
“When were you planning on telling me this?”
“Today?”
My dad sighed. “Princess, it’s of vital importance that you tell me everything Isabella says to you. Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“I mean it. Every single thing.”
“I will.” I honestly wasn’t worried about Isabella right now. Well, minus the fact that she’d probably been hitting on Matt for the past 30 minutes. “So you’ll help Felix?”
He smiled. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“If you’ll excuse me for a moment. I need to have a conversation with Isabella about this…Cupcake. It’s the first I’ve ever heard of him.”
Crap. I wasn’t trying to get Isabella in trouble today. I knew my dad required weird relationship contracts and stuff. Isabella was going to be furious with me. But would it really make anything worse? The psycho already wanted me dead.