Chapter 9
Summer
Sunday morning, Nick picks me up to go to Alex’s house for the day. I offer him a chocolate chip muffin I baked last night when we get outside, and I get a kiss on the cheek before he gets into the driver’s seat. “Any updates on your dad?”
“He has a good hacker; probably been tracking our phones.”
“How do we prevent that from happening?”
“We can’t eliminate the risk, but I can show you how to minimize it. I can’t get access to cameras near him because they’re monitored.”
“Well, that sucks. We’ll stay vigilant, Grumpy. I won’t go anywhere alone,” I say, squeezing his knee.
“I don’t like it, Shortie,” he replies, shaking his head.
“I know.” What else is there to say? We’re all worried, but can’t do anything about it.
We drive in silence the rest of the way to Alex’s house with rock music on low in the background. Nick unlocks the front door so we can head up to the third floor. E is already up and in the kitchen, so I walk over to kiss his cheek and drop off the muffins. “Good morning, E.”
“Morning Summer. Wanna get Seb up? Alex is already gone for the day.”
Shaking my head at another Alex disappearance, I agree and go into our bedroom. Seb lies sprawled on his stomach, sans shirt, his mouth slightly open. “Hurry,” I call as I sit on the edge of the bed and run my fingers through his hair. “Time to wake up.”
“Sunshine?” he questions, cracking one eye open.
“Hey. Morning.”
He pulls me down beside him and plants a deep kiss on my lips. “Do we need to get up now? I miss you in bed with me.”
“We do. You’ll be staying over Tuesday to Thursday this week so you can cuddle then. Right now, we need to help E figure out what he wants to do.”
Groaning, he sits up and rubs his face. “Okay. I’ll be out in a few minutes, Sunshine.”
Giving him a quick peck on his cheek, I get up and walk back out to the living room and see Nick on the couch sipping coffee, so I decide to get some tea for myself. “What’cha working on, E?”
“Some wraps for lunch, but I’m almost done.”
“Okay.” I busy myself making tea, and by the time it’s ready, Seb has joined us. Now we just need Bay. As if I summoned him, Bay enters through the door. “Morning, Bay,” I greet.
“Morning,” he smiles. It looks like he was up early, as there’s a grease stain on his shoulder.
I take my tea back to the couch as E and Bay join us. Looking around, everyone seems to be in their own head instead of speaking. “Okay, guys,” I call to get their attention. “Nick needs to show us some stuff first, then E; we need to talk.”
Nick walks us through how to minimize tracking on our phones and offers to set up a VPN network at each of our houses. Once that is complete, I turn to E. “Where is your head at, E?”
“All over the place. I’m not giving up, Seb. That I know for sure,” he says, grabbing Seb’s hand. “I don’t mind living with them. It won’t be fun, but I can do that. As for college, I’m not sure.”
“You’re a chef,” Nick grunts.
“He’s right. You were born to be a chef, handsome,” Seb says. “You can’t give that up.”
“Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad trying something else.”
“E, can you help me understand why you're even considering this? Money is important, I understand that, but it’s not worth all this.”
“I would be financially secure for life because of my inheritance. That’s hard to give up.”
“But you plan on working, so you’d have a salary. I have money, and Alex does. We’ve both offered to help you. I have no doubt you’ll be successful as a chef. Culinary school isn’t as expensive as a four-year degree. You could manage.”
“I was thinking if I got a regular college degree and moved in with them, then I could become a chef later, after I have the money. It wouldn’t be so bad.”
He sounds desperate, which I don’t understand. “What about Seb? They don’t approve.”
“No, but they’re okay with you, so we could date, and Seb and I would just have to be careful until we graduate.”
Standing up, I begin to pace. I don’t understand why money is worth all this. “No. I won’t do that, E.” What on earth is he thinking? He can’t seriously be suggesting a secret relationship for years with Seb.
“It’s okay, Sunshine,” Seb smiles sadly at me. “E and I talked a lot about it. It’s only temporary, and if it gives him what he wants, then I’ll do it.”
“Well, I’m not okay with it. I don’t like this E. It feels wrong. What guarantees do you have from your grandparents?”
“What do you mean?” His brow furrows in confusion.
“If you move in with them, if you hide Seb, and if you agree to college, when do you get your inheritance?”
“Probably after I finish college, but they'll pay for everything during that time.”
“So, you’re going to hide Seb for years?” I can’t believe he’s considering this. Does he not see how sad Seb is? What is it about money that makes people crazy?
“No, just until we finish high school.”
“What if you go to college here? It would take only one incident for them to refuse your inheritance. One person to see you two together, and it’s all for nothing. Seriously, think more about this E. You’re looking at possibly 5 years without making a mistake. For money.”
“She’s right,” Nick agrees.
“I’ve never been rich,” Bay adds, “but I can’t imagine money would be worth more than love.”
“I’m scared,” E replies, hanging his head. “I’m accustomed to this lifestyle. I feel like I need to at least try this to see if I can salvage the situation. Maybe if I live with them, I can make them adjust their views. I have to try, and I need your support, all of you.”
I look over at Seb, who catches my eye and nods. “We will support you, E,” he says.
E looks over at me, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Fine. I’ll support you for now, but if they don’t change their minds, I’m out. I won’t pretend for 5 years, E.”
“Fair enough,” he smiles gratefully, relief sagging his posture. “Thank you. So, now that we have a plan for me, what are we going to do about Alex?”
“I say we let Sunshine loose on him,” Seb says.
“Agreed,” Bay replies. “He listens to your advice more than he listens to us.”
Raising my eyebrows, I look at all of them who are nodding their heads.
“I doubt that.” Alex and I have butted heads several times, but it never seems to do any good.
He’s stuck in his own ways with his own expectations for life.
He needs to talk to us, though, so it’s worth a try.
Rolling my eyes, I reply. “Okay. Where is he today?”
“No idea. Text him,” E says.
I pull out my phone and ask him to meet.
It takes a few minutes, but he responds that he’ll be available by dinner.
I tell the guys, and they suggest I go solo.
When I ask them why, they evade answering.
“What a bunch of cowards!” I shake my head at them, but they find it hilarious, and even Nick smirks.
I tell him I’m at his house and to pick me up here and we can hit a food truck for dinner.
Discussions done, Nick turns on the tv as the guys relax. I ask to speak with Seb, and he follows me into our bedroom. “I know what you’re gonna ask, Sunshine. Do I like it? No, but he needs to try this for himself. If he doesn’t, he’ll always wonder and have regrets.”
“I don’t like this, Seb. He shouldn’t ask you to do this.”
“Not everyone is as strong as you,” he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a hug. “Let’s give him a chance to discover what we already know.”
“If you’re sure, Hurry. Let’s go back out there. We all need to relax after this endless week.”
Alex
I know Summer and the guys are worried about me, but they do not understand my situation.
By Alicia putting that announcement in the paper, she has essentially trapped me.
Everyone believes I am engaged. Reesa told her parents Monday evening before school started and showed them the ring; Alicia’s engagement ring from my father.
Reesa knows that I have my mother’s ring and plan to use that for my intended, but, as usual, she went along with the plan.
I have always suspected that my father had Alicia sign an ironclad prenup before they were married.
We never discussed it, but I cannot see him putting our fortune at risk.
My suspicion is that Alicia is using Reesa to gain access to more of our money.
If we were to marry, Reesa would be easy to manipulate into giving her more money.
Not that my father does not provide her with anything she wants, but if she could fill her own account with cash, I am sure she would.
She has my father’s credit cards, but none of her own money.
I have been searching for a way to fix this mess, talking with Mr. MacLeod and a few others who understand the society I live in. There does not seem to be a way to end the engagement without a scandal. I have to maintain our family’s good standing before all else.
I am sure some believe this is my fault for going along with the fake relationship for so long, and pretending it was real to my father and society. Maybe those people are correct. I knew what Alicia was capable of, but never approached my father about her. What a mess I have landed in.
I stop by the house at 5pm to pick up Summer.
After saying goodbye to the guys, she follows me downstairs.
I nodded in greeting to everyone, but I am not ready to talk yet, although I suspect that is the purpose of this dinner.
Talking with Summer alone is easier to handle than everyone, though. I know I need to give them something.
I drive us to the taco truck, and after we get our food; I sit across from her at a picnic table. When we have eaten a few bites, she begins, “How are you, Alex?”
“Dealing Summer,” I reply. Which I am, that is not a lie.
“Are you? Really?” She asks skeptically.
“Yes.”
“Have you resolved the engagement?”
“I do not consider it an engagement since I did not propose.” That is one thing I have been very firm about with Reesa. She and Alicia may run this farce right now, but I am not engaged.