35. 35
35
Hetti e
“ I t’s so pink,” I gasp, staring around the bar.
“And starry,” Abigail adds.
Having a child so young means that I missed out on the club years and going to bars and dance clubs. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to a nightclub in Victoria.
Not that I’m upset about that—having Tema is the best thing I’ve ever done.
But even if I went to all the clubs Victoria has to offer, I’d still be excited to be here tonight. Abigail found us dresses somewhere—probably with Spencer’s help—and I straightened my hair and put on makeup and a pair of shoes that is going to make my feet hurt tomorrow.
It’ll be worth it. I’m here with Bo and Abigail and Spencer and it feels like old times. The way Bo looks at me in this dress sends shivers through me and I can’t wait to finish our conversation from earlier.
It feels like tonight is the beginning of something. Maybe because I want it to be. But it feels like something is about to happen and I’m ready to go with it .
Plus, Fenella Carrington owns this place and she’s—well, she’s a lot of things. And she was standing with Silas when we walked in the door, so I got to meet her right away.
Abigail was tongue-tied because she spends more time on social media than I do. Not that I manage to say much.
Luckily, Fenella has to deal with a problem at the bar so we don’t look too silly trying not to fangirl over her.
I don’t bother trying to hide my admiration for the bar though.
The furniture and the glasses and most of the drinks have a pink hue but the ceiling is dark blue and the colour travels down the walls to end in a pinkish-lavender near the floor.
The ceiling and the upper walls are also covered with glittering silver stars.
“The night sky,” Bo says staring up.
“Sophie did this.” I love the pride in Spencer’s voice. There were so many years where he didn’t have a relationship with his sisters, and I’m so glad that has changed. “Isn’t it amazing?”
“Tema would love it,” Abigail agrees, her eyes wide with delight and turning in circles to drink it in.
“Does she like pink?” Bo asks awkwardly.
I nod. “And stars,” I tell him. I think it’s sweet how he’s trying to find out everything he can about her, as quickly as he can. Even during the drive down the hill into town, he kept asking if Tema got into trouble a lot, some of the things she’s done and how we respond if she’s bad.
I’m glad he used the word we because the only thing that would make Abigail more of a mother to Tema is if she’d actually given birth to her .
I need to talk to her about what I should do. Her choices aren’t dependent on mine, but she loves Tema and won’t want to be very far away from her.
Tomorrow, I decide. I’ll figure it all out tomorrow. Tonight, I’m just going to have fun.
With my best friends.
I don’t get to go out with Abigail very often since one of us is usually watching Tema. Once in a while, we’ll leave her with Granddad, but he gets so caught up with his painting that it’s not always a good idea.
Especially when Tema is so interested in what he’s working on that she wants to copy it. Once, she set up her own easel, got out her own paints.
She was five at the time, and paint was everywhere when she finally decided she was finished, and all the while, Granddad kept happily painting.
Spencer gets drinks for us while Bo secures a table. Abigail and I head to the dance floor.
It takes two songs for us to be noticed and another to gather a crowd.
“Well, Hettie Crow.” Crystal Hansen still manages to look down at me while being at least two inches shorter. “Never thought I’d see you back here.”
“Well, Crystal,” Abigail says with fake brightness in her voice. “That almost seems like you missed us.”
“Of course I have. Things haven’t been the same since you left.” She touches my arm. “I did my best to comfort Bo.”
“I’m sure you did.” I try to keep the snarl from my voice. Crystal was the epitome of a mean girl when we were in high school, and it seems like nothing has changed. She’s still surrounded by her group of sycophants—fewer now than eight years ago, but still a considerable number.
“What brings you back?” Amy McKibbon asks. The question sounds sincere but I’m sure Amy’s digging for gossip.
I know these girls. They made my life miserable for years, with their snide comments and gift of making trouble. Abigail had more problems than me, probably because she stuck by my side and refused to let them bully me.
“Bo,” I say. “And Spencer. I wanted to visit my friends.” And then I turn my back on them, doing my best to throw myself into the music.
“Not your family?” Crystal asks loudly. “I see that your sister has wiggled her way into a job for Kalle. I wonder what benefits she gets.” She smiles slyly. “Or gives.”
Abigail stops dancing. “You didn’t just say that.”
I hold up my hand to stop Abigail, because I’ve finally learned to fight my own family’s battles. “You might want to rethink making comments about my sister and the future king of Laandia. I do have an in with the family, don’t forget.”
“You’re going to tell on me?” Crystal sneers. “Really? Go cry to Kalle?”
“That’s Prince Kalle to you,” I correct. “But no, I wouldn’t tell Kalle.” I lean closer. “I’d tell Edie.”
Crystal clamps her lips closed.
“I’m really surprised you’re not over there now,” Amy says.
“Maybe she knew there would be more excitement here tonight.” Penny Black motions to a group by the bar. Two men are gesturing wildly but Fenella shakes her head .
One of the men… His back is to me, but there’s something about him. I glance at Abigail and when she grimaces, I head over.
“You can’t refuse to serve me,” the man says loudly. “It’s not right. It’s not done here in Battle Harbour, which you don’t know nothing about.”
“’Cuz you’re from some fancypants place, thinking you know more than us here. Well, you don’t—don’t know anything,” the second one shouts. He’s slurring his words more than the first, but both look like they’ve been overserved somewhere.
“Thinks she does,” the first man says and there’s something about his voice. And then Fenella Carrington glances at me and my blood freezes, because I know.
It’s Reggie.
And like he knows I’m watching, my brother turns around. “What are you staring at?” he demands. It takes a moment but I can tell when recognition sets in. “Hettie?”
“Reggie,” I manage even though every instinct is telling me to run.
“What the hell are you doing back here?” He glances between me and Fenella. “You friends with her? She won’t give me another beer. ”
“I don’t think you need another beer, Reggie. Why don’t we go outside and catch up.” I grab his arm, but he shakes me off.
“Not going anywhere with you—unless you got money? Help a brother out, Hettie.”
“Let’s go outside and I’ll give you some. You can go over to Sailors Salon.”
“They’ll serve me,” Reggie grouses, letting me lead him outside, his friend following. I don’t recognize him but that’s not surprising, since I barely recognize Reggie. He’s thin and pale, and the laughing brother I used to know is nowhere to be found in his face.
It’s sad but I don’t let the disappointment dissuade me and push through the crowd.
I refuse to meet anyone’s gaze as I get Reggie and his friend to the door, but Bo’s face swims before me.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
One night. I go out one night and this happens. Reggie has been back for days and he’s already making trouble. Who knows how quickly he’ll end up back in jail?
“Everything’s fine, no thanks to you, Prince.” And my heart lodges in my throat as Reggie gives Bo a shove. “Get out of my way.”
It doesn’t really move him, but still. “Big man,” Reggie’s friend taunts. “Thinks he’s so tough. All of them royals do.”
“Not really, but… sure.” Bo glances down at me, his jaw tight. “Let me help.”
“It’s my problem.”
“No.” Bo grips Reggie’s arm. “It’s ours.”
There’s a short lineup to get in, so Bo steers Reggie down in front of Coffee for the Sole. It’s dark inside but I still imagine I can smell coffee even from outside.
I shiver in my short skirt and wrap my arms around myself. I can’t even be in town for one night before one of my brothers ruins it. I was having fun and then Reggie—
Reggie is being Reggie and I reacted. I need to stop doing that because my brother is not going to change.
But I can .
“Let’s make this quick.” Bo pulls out his wallet. “I’ve got—”
I push Bo’s hand before he can do anything else. “You are not giving him money.”
“Hey, you said—”
“I said that to get you outside so you wouldn’t get into more trouble. Mabel told me you just got out of jail. Do you want to go back? Were you planning on starting a fight? Because Amy McKibbon in there would be all too happy to call her brother and get him over there to drag you out and back behind bars. Is that what you want?”
Either Reggie is too drunk or too surprised to hear me lay into him like that because he drops his head.
“Not getting into trouble,” his friend says. “You should mind your—”
“I would think before you say one more thing to her.” Bo folds his arms in such a way that his muscles bulge. I’d be happy to take another look if I weren’t so angry.
“You need to get out of here.” I point to the friend. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care, but you’re not helping. Go home and sleep it off.”
Even with Bo’s intimidating stance, he still steps forward. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“I’m Mabel Crow’s little sister and you need to be gone.”
That was the right thing to say. Reggie jerks his chin at him, and the friend ambles off, muttering curses.
“Nice,” Bo says under his breath.
“You think you’re so fancy now,” Reggie snaps. “You think you’re all that, but you’re not. You’re just a Crow like me. ”
“I am a Crow, but I’m nothing like you, Reggie. I know how to hold my liquor. And Fenella’s not going to risk you busting up the place because you’ve had too much to drink.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” I stare at my brother. “Anymore,” he concedes. “Parole officer gets snippy about stuff like that.”
“And you don’t want to go back to jail,” Bo says with a nod. “What are you doing for work?”
“What’s work?” Reggie gives a nasty laugh. “Nobody gonna hire me. They won’t even give me a beer.”
“Maybe around here. But I could use you up at my place up north.”