Chapter 6
Chapter Six
TEDDY
I t’s been almost a week since the incident with West in the office, and I still can’t get it out of my mind. Being that close to him alone left a lasting impression. One that I’ve found myself revisiting in my dreams. Karl’s funeral has come and gone. No one attended. I’d made myself ready in case Willa or Rich changed their minds at the last second so I could go with them.
Things have been quiet since. We move about our days as we did when Karl was alive but away in the city. I rarely catch a glimpse of West. Only ever in passing. When I enter a room, he is always leaving it. I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence or he does it on purpose. I still don’t understand what I did to piss him off.
I thought for a second we were kinda getting along when we were trading words in Karl’s office. Me moving closer to him. Him the hissing cat, daring me to. I hadn't been afraid of him, nor had I believed he was going to fire my mom or tell anyone about what I'd done. I have no clue what made me feel that way, but I did.
Then a switch flicked, turning everything upside down. I wasn’t so sure anymore. I’m still not, but I’m not going to hide away. I’ll pretend he’s not here. That's exactly what everyone else is doing. Mom has been dealing with Jack when it comes to how things will work around here. Much of that has been left the same as well.
A tension has left the estate with Karl’s passing, but now there is a different one lingering, and I’m starting to think I’m the only one that feels it.
"Did you get your email?" Willa asks as she enters the kitchen where I am preparing dinner for everyone.
I made enough for Jack and West. Jack will carry the tray upstairs for West, who has taken over the other wing of the home. A few times Jack has come back down and eaten with us. Otherwise, he stays upstairs.
I enjoy Jack’s company. He and I can get a nice banter going. While the routine has returned to normal, Willa and Rich have become quieter. Jack helps me fill that silence.
“No, I haven’t checked it.” I wiggle my fingers that have sauce on them. I’m layering the lasagna so I can put it in the oven. “My phone.” I nod to it on the counter. Willa grabs it, entering my code to open my emails. I’m guessing she’s talking about our final schedules for classes.
“Yes,” she whispers loudly.
“I take it we have some classes together?” I laugh. It shouldn’t have been too hard. We only need a few more to graduate, and we are even getting out early each day. We picked the same ones, but there was a chance we could have gotten them at different hours.
“We did.” A full smile lights up her face, making me return one.
“How are you feeling about going back?” I ask.
“Okay?” Willa shrugs her shoulders. School has always been easy for her and Rich. They’re both wicked smart. I think I’m pretty average. “Can I help?”
“Make me a tea?” I ask.
“I can chop a salad, Teddy.”
“The two stitches we had to get you four months ago say otherwise.”
“Whatever.” Willa rolls her eyes but grabs a couple of glasses to make us drinks.
“Smells good,” Rich shouts, barging in the side door. He’s covered in sweat, and I notice a mark on his right cheek. He comes over to where I am to see what I’m making. “My favorite.” He throws his arm around my shoulder.
“Gross.” I try to wiggle away from him; he’s all sweaty and doing it on purpose to annoy me.
“What? No hugs?” He ruffles my hair, making me laugh. I might be an only child, but I know what it’s like to have an annoying brother. I go for his nipple to pinch. Rich lets out a girly scream, making Willa burst into laughter.
“That’s enough. One of you is going to get hurt.” I freeze at the sound of West’s voice.
“They’re just playing.” Willa comes to my defense. She always comes to my defense, but her voice is so soft-spoken. It’s sweet and cute.
“There is a pot of hot sauce behind them on the stove.” Shit. I had forgotten about that.
“Go shower.” I push at Rich. “Dinner will be in forty.”
“Fine.” He pretends to be annoyed, but I don't miss the death glare he shoots toward West. At school, people run from that stare. I've even witnessed Karl retreat from it, but West remains unfazed.
They share a nearly identical physique. They both stand six and a half feet tall and have broad shoulders. Rich might be a bit leaner, but I know what he’s up to. Willa might not know about his extracurricular activities, but I do. The mark on his face is evidence of it.
“Would you like a glass of tea?” Willa asks West.
“That would be nice.” His expression softens as he gazes at her, and I swear there's a hint of sadness in his eyes. I can’t help but wonder why, but with West, that’s all I have: questions with no answers. I almost want to get stuck in a room with him again. For more reasons than I’m willing to admit.
His gaze flicks over to me, that softness fading away. No, there is an expression I always get that I can’t decipher. I think it’s annoyance or irritation of some sort. It shouldn’t hurt my feelings, but it does.
“Will you be joining us this evening for dinner?” Willa asks, handing him the tea.
I watch him out of the corner of my eye. His gaze is still on me. “No.”
“Okay, well, you’re always welcome.”
“Thank you, Willa.” With that, he retreats, carrying his tea, back to his wing.
“He doesn’t seem too bad.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Bad isn’t the word I would use.
“Maybe in time everyone can get along.”
“That would be nice.”
“Ah.” Willa rests her hip up against the counter next to me. “You notice he gets weird when you and Rich are together?”
“No.” Does he? “Why would he do that?”
“I mean, I’m not sure. I just kind of thought it.” It's not abnormal for my mind to begin reflecting on all of the encounters between West and me. I do it often. In fact, I can’t stop doing it, and it’s driving me a little nutty.
“Everyone is just getting used to each other.” I try to reassure Willa and let her know that whatever she might be noticing doesn’t bother me. It does, however, make me wonder.