Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
KEATON
A rizona wasn’t everything that I imagined. Don’t get me wrong, the place is gorgeous. The people are friendly and if I hadn’t been missing home, I would’ve had a good time.
I kept repeating myself: this is a good change for your family.
Yet, some part of my brain argued with the statement because I don’t think I have such a thing as a family.
My mother doesn’t know who I am, and Savannah barely tolerates me.
If I weren’t her main source of income, she would’ve kicked me out of the house.
After realizing that once my sister is in a better position she’ll just dismiss me, I realized that I don’t have anything to my name.
I feel like that thirteen-year-old girl who no one wanted and needed to find a place to belong.
There’s no Aunt Alyssa to hug me and say it’s going to be okay. Is there?
When I arrive home, Savannah barely acknowledges me, but all the clothes Dawn Spearman bought her are scattered everywhere in the house.
She doesn’t have any space in her tiny closet to put them away.
This is on me, since I left my sister and Dawn Spearman unattended.
It’s clear that she doesn’t understand the word moderation.
Aslan told me that several times, but I didn’t understand the magnitude of her personality until I witnessed it.
I break my silence and call Aslan to complain about his mother and maybe my sister. What I really wanted to say is I missed you. I did. The moment we hang up I recognize that sometimes he feels like home, which is unacceptable.
On Wednesday, I try to avoid him but what I should’ve avoided is the intrusive Spearman family personal shopper and her snarky assistant.
I spend half of my day answering questions about my favorite colors, getting measured, and trying clothing that are three sizes too small for my taste.
They promise to send everything that worked for me to Aslan’s house, already packed in my new luggage.
That should be enough to deal with, but there’s more. I learn that Mrs. Spearman let Savannah invite a friend.
Did Savannah mention it when I called to check on her or when I arrived home from Arizona?
No.
She waits until Aslan is picking us up at four o’clock in the morning to say, “By the way, I’m bringing a friend.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, but she’s already out the door.
Damn it, I should’ve skipped Arizona and gone with them. I could’ve stopped so many things, including the exclusive invitation that Dawn Spearman extended to…who did she invite?
Aslan didn’t mention any of this. Not that we’ve had time to chat much about the trip. This is what I get for avoiding him yesterday.
Instead of using the Bentley to pick us up, Tim drives the Land Rover, which has more room for passengers and luggage.
“Hey,” Aslan greets me while I’m locking the door. “You seem a little irritated. What happened?”
“She invited a friend, ” I mumble.
“Oh, you didn’t know?”His tone sounds a lot like the time he decided to sell the wine magazine and delivered the news to his family.
I glare at him. “Why are you saying it like that?”
He runs a hand through his hair. “I wish I had brought some coffee or wine to soothe you.”
“Are you joking or trying to get into a fight?”
He arches an eyebrow. “To think this is going to get worse.” He sighs. “Come on, beautiful, we still have to pick up Fern. I’ll make it up to you. Promise.”
I don’t understand his comment until I’m about to climb into the SUV. A guy sits in the back seat next to my sister. They’re snuggling.
“Lex, meet my sister Keaton.”
My head is about to explode. Is she freaking kidding me?
“Take a deep breath,” Aslan whispers. “We have to pick up Fern in less than five minutes.”
I do as he says, but I hope he knows that if I could, I would be screaming from the top of my lungs.
She invited Lex?
“You could smile. We’re going on vacation,” Aslan mumbles in my ear as Tim pulls out of his parking spot.
I glance at Lex. How he scored an invite to this family reunion is…I’m going to kill my sister.
At least he’s not the threatening seven feet tall, muscular man I thought he’d be. Still, why are we taking him with us?
The trip to Arizona wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve done in the last few months.
Damn it.
“Sex,” my sister blurts out the word.
I glance back and give her the death glare. She better stay quiet or…what can I do? There are too many witnesses. It’d be stupid to kill her.
“What?” I sound more like a squeaky toy than an angry sister. Ugh, I need coffee and a knife.
Murder isn’t the answer, Keaton.
“Aslan, why don’t you try having sex with her a little more often. That’ll probably loosen her up,” Savannah suggests.
Lex begins to laugh. I glance at Aslan who’s covering his mouth with one hand while looking out the window.
“We’re not talking about my sex life,” I protest.
“I agree, since you don’t have one.” My sister’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. Ouch.
Before I could tell her how much I don’t like her, or worse, Aslan interrupts. “So, what do you do for a living, Lex? Or are you still in school?”
“I do odd jobs,” he mutters. “Sometimes I help my dad with the shop, and other times I help Mom with her business. On the rare occasion that neither one of them needs me, I’m with my uncle who owns a restaurant.”
I stare at Savannah. What happened to ‘I’ll be at Lex’s’ if he seems to be working three jobs? Has Savannah lied about her whereabouts? Does it matter? She’s eighteen.
“What did you study?” Aslan asks.
“Umm…I dropped out. School is a waste of time for some people—I’m some people. Plus, my parents needed my help. So that’s what I did—do. I prefer to watch a documentary and browse the web to learn.”
I try hard not to snort, but I stay quiet.
“It’s going to be okay,” Aslan whispers in my ear, making me shiver.
Before I ask if he’s being obtuse, again, we’re on 32nd Avenue, stopping in front of an apartment building.
I spot Fern with four bags as big as Savannah’s.
Tim helps her load everything in the trunk.
Now I understand why Aslan picked up Savvy’s luggage last night and why my new clothes were sent directly to Aslan’s place so they could be at the airport on time.
When Fern climbs into the car, she waves at everyone, then focuses her attention on me. “Hi, Keaton, it’s nice to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.”
When she sits down next to my sister, she says, “You must be Savannah. Mom has only amazing things to say about you. And you’re Lex, her boyfriend. Right?”
I open my mouth. She knew about the boyfriend . I scowl at Aslan. Something tells me he knew about this whole thing way before he picked him up.Why didn’t he tell me yesterday?
Leaning closer to him, I whisper. “You knew about Lex, didn’t you?”
He kisses my cheek, then my nose, and finally, he gives me a peck on the lips.
It’s just a simple touch but it sends my pulse into high speed.
I want him to take my mouth, kiss me the same way he did last week.
I missed him. Though, I almost jump away from him when I feel my cheeks burning.
I hate to admit that he was right, we should’ve practiced kissing before this trip.
I can’t get flustered every time he touches me or kisses me.
How am I going to make this work?
Should I remind him that we have to keep the kissing to a minimum and…what am I talking about? He barely touched me. It’s obvious that anything he does to me will just quicken my pulse and make me want to hump him. Ugh, this agreement is going to be the death of me.
During the ride to the airport, Fern talks non-stop about The Foundation and the Gala, which is happening next October.
“By the way, how’s your mom doing, Keaton?”
“She’s doing well. I spoke to her last night.” That’s relative of course. She doesn’t talk much, she slurs her words, and of course, she didn’t recognize me. On the plus side, she seemed content.
“I’m glad. If you need anything, let me know.”
“Thank you so much, you’ve done a lot for us.”
“It’s nothing. We’re family.”
But we’re not, Fern. Thank goodness, because my family tends to disregard me like a used pair of socks.
When we arrive at the airport, I realize we’re flying on a private jet.A very small, fragile, tiny jet.
“Are you okay?” Aslan asks.
I shake my head. “The plane is too small, Lex is here, and I feel like I’m going to fail.” Or die during the flight.
He looks at me. “Take a deep breath. We’re going to fake that we’re happy and in love. Everyone will believe us. Lex seems like a nice kid.”
Those are secondary problems that I can deal with easily—if I survive. I glance toward the jet where Savannah, Fern, and Lex are boarding. “What about the plane?”
He smiles. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
“Uh-huh.” Unless he’s Superman, his cousin, or has flying superpowers, I doubt we’ll be fine .
“I promise,” he mumbles against my lips before he kisses me deeply.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m sleep deprived, too anxious, or…I let him take me, absorb me, and almost make me his.
This is precisely why I left for Arizona, to avoid handing him my heart. How am I supposed to fake we’re in a relationship without losing this dangerous game?