Chapter One
266 days until graduation
Logan Callaghan has to be one of the richest people I have ever met, and I wouldn’t say I’ve really met him yet.
All I know about him are the basics: he’s the oldest and only son of the Callaghan family, and he’s in my year at school.
Given his age, it’s unlikely he’s the rich one, but based on the Mercedes he drove to pick me up from the airport, I can assume he has inherited a bit of his parents’ wealth.
I also already assumed through countless emails and phone calls with the Callaghan family before my arrival that they were, at least, wealthy enough to afford another kid for an entire year, but I could have never imagined this.
Logan and I made small talk the entire drive from the airport, and he pointed out key features of the town once we got closer to his house.
We passed Fairwood Preparatory Academy, Taylor’s Diner, a bookstore, and a couple other key locations.
Now, I stare in shock at the giant house on the hill as Logan punches a code into the keypad of the driveway’s gate through the car window.
It doesn’t even feel accurate to call this estate a house. I’d call it a fucking castle.
“Don’t worry, I’ll give you the codes to everything so you don’t get locked out,” he says like he’s trying to reassure me.
I’m more concerned about getting lost in this enormous house than not knowing the code to the gate, but I nod anyway.
The Callaghan’s house looks like something out of a magazine, with its extravagant, bricked exterior, large picture windows, tennis court to the side of the garage, and a large pond in the front yard. A fountain in the middle completes the perfect picture.
“This is seriously your house?” I ask Logan.
Living in London, I thought I knew what wealth looked like. I had been around kids who acted as if they walked on water simply because their parents could afford to buy them the newest handbag.
Hell, I thought a year in America would be a nice change from the rich assholes back home.
After seeing the Callaghan house firsthand, I now have the impression I will not be getting away from the world of class. Instead, I might be sucked further into it.
“I know, isn’t it ridiculous?” Logan laughs once the gate opens, allowing him to pull up the expansive driveway and around the loop leading to the front door.
“Would it be rude to say ‘just a tad?’” I smile as the front door of the house flies open, revealing a cheery-looking woman, whose features match Logan’s. She hops down the stairs of the wrap-around front porch.
“And…there’s Mom,” Logan says.
I had already assumed that.
Logan puts the car in park, allowing us to get out and greet Wren Callaghan.
I hear Logan popping the trunk as Mrs. Callaghan pulls me into her arms. “Hi, Jameson, I’m Wren. Please, don’t bother with the Mrs. Callaghan formalities. It’s so nice to have you here!”
She exudes a motherly warmth—more so than my mother ever has. She is quickly the most comforting sight.
Wren’s talking again, grabbing me by the shoulders and wanting to get a better look at me before I can reply. “Aren’t you handsome! The girls at Fairwood are going to love you.”
I laugh. “Thank you for allowing me to stay here.”
Never had I imagined I would live in the small town of Fairwood, Connecticut for an entire year, and although the change is unexpected, it feels nice to have welcoming people on my side.
“It is our pleasure, dear.” Her smile is warm as it stretches her face. “Now, come inside, Kai is waiting in the kitchen; he’s making dinner.”
I’ve never felt so quickly welcomed somewhere. Even when I went to Italy—to my mother’s home—for the summers, I never truly felt like I lived there, no matter how long I stayed.
With the Callaghan’s, I can actually envision myself feeling at home here.
Wren guides me into the house, Logan following swiftly behind us. He’s carrying my bags, and when I offer to help, he immediately brushes me off. “We’ll treat you like a guest, at least until you get settled.”
When I approach the entryway of the Callaghan home, Wren stops me, allowing me to take it all in while she ushers Logan to take my bags upstairs.
“Are you excited?” She looks at me, and when I don’t answer for a moment, she adds, “I wouldn’t have wanted you here if I wasn’t sure you would fit in. You will have a wonderful time, Jameson.”
The only thing I’m worried about is maybe I don’t want to fit in here. I’ve barely seen any of this town, and for all I know, the rest could be just as concrete in their money domineering ways.
Both of my parents have always been what most would consider upper middle class. My dad was a big businessman, and my mum came from money. They made a very comfortable living, especially after their divorce. However, I’ve never been around people as loaded as the Callaghan’s seem to be. Their wealth is a bit intimidating.
We walk down a large hallway and Wren turns right into the kitchen. The bright white cabinets—some of which have glass doors—stand out from the black and gold appliances, making the kitchen look even more elegant than the rest of the house. The floors are laid with white and black tile, giving the room a sleek look.
From the outside, the house seemed like it would be cold and unfeeling. The inside is much cozier than expected.
Through the kitchen, I see the living room across the hall and the connected dining room, both littered with family portraits—including Logan and his sister’s school pictures.The large sectional in the living room is covered in throw pillows with small blankets folded over the arms.
Kai, Logan’s dad, is standing and chopping vegetables at the kitchen island. When he notices we have entered, he stops what he’s doing and makes his way around the countertop.
“Jameson, how are you?” He asks as he sticks his hand out to me. “I’m Kai Callaghan.”
“Hi.” I take his hand, shaking it firmly. “I’m well, and you?”
“Good, I’m good. Go ahead, have a seat.” Kai gestures toward the bar stools lining the island on the opposite side of where he’s preparing dinner.
“Thank you.” I smile, taking a seat across from him. Wren moves to the dining room behind us and sits at the table there.
Kai picks up his knife again, beginning to chop the onions and peppers. “How was your trip? Not too rough, was it?”
“No, not at all. I slept through most of it,” I reply before pulling out my phone to check the time.
It’s almost seven in the evening later than I normally eat dinner back in London, but I suppose I’m going to have to get used to the Callaghan’s way of life eventually.
“Do you like fajitas?”
“I’m not too picky.” Kai and Wren both sigh in relief.
“Then, you should fit right in here,”Wren chimes. When I look back, she appears to be doing a crossword puzzle.
Before I can respond, I hear Logan come bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen. The house is so big it echoes.
“Hey Jameson, you want to go for a swim?” I look between Wren and Kai, not feeling like I need to ask for permission, but also not wanting to seem disrespectful. “The pool is heated,” Logan urges.
Wren waves me on. “Go.”
I smile as I follow Logan out of the kitchen and back toward the entryway, where the stairs are.
Logan begins his way up them. “I’ll show you your room,” he says. “I think you’ll like it here. I’ve got a great group of friends you’ll mesh with pretty well, so you don’t have to worry about being a loner.”
I chuckle a bit. “That’s good. Do they go to Fairwood Prep too?”
Logan nods. “Yeah, almost everyone in this town does.” He might as well have said “almost everyone in this town is filthy rich.”
When we make it to the top of the stairs, I feel the same overwhelming reverence I first experienced when we pulled into the driveway. At this point, I’ve all but designated this house the Palace of Fairwood.
“This is where you’ll be staying.” Logan opens the second door on the left of the hallway. “The bathroom is across the hall.” He points to the door across the hall from my bedroom.
He then shows me his bedroom, the extra storage closet, and the guest bedroom.
“What room is this?” I ask, placing my hand on the one door that has yet to be opened. Pink floral stickers cover the wood, making me assume it belongs to Logan’s younger sister.
“Oh, that’s Mae’s room. She’ll be home in a little while. I’ll let her show you around in there.” I nod.I’ve seen her photo around, and assume she’s probably fourteen or fifteen.
“Okay, now that the tour’s done, I’m going to get my swim trunks on.” Logan points toward his bedroom door.
“Yeah, I will too. Thanks, Logan”
He nods in return. “Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.”
I head into my bedroom, noticing my luggage neatly stacked on the floor next to the open closet.
I make a mental note, reminding myself to unpack later tonight. I’ll be up late anyway, since I slept almost the entire flight here.
Before I get my suit on, I take in the room. It looks pretty basic at first glance, with plain white walls, blue bed sheets, and a built-in bookshelf on the wall furthest from the door. I didn’t bring any of my books from home, for my luggage’s sake, but I’m sure that by the time I leave the shelves will be close to full.
There is a desk to the right of the door, and the blinds on the large windows behind the bed are pulled open, giving me a full view of the garden out back. This house keeps getting more and more opulent.
The garden out back is covered almost entirely in patio space, while the yard itself is sectioned into a space for the pool. For the grill, there’s even a fire pit built into the patio right off the back door with enough seating for the royal family surrounding it.
Then, there’s what looks to be a guest house on the far side of the property, which reminds me quite a bit of my mom’s house in Italy—small but luxurious.
I sit on the edge of my bed as I take in the utter wealth these people exhibit—the view of the pool and pots of flowers surrounding my peripheral vision. All I can do is think about the year to come, and hope this will be everything I need.
Once I get my swim trunks on, I follow Logan outside to the pool. It’s relatively dark outside, but the jets under the water all have lights and the living room lights illuminate the space enough so we can see.
“So, tomorrow there’s an end of the summer party at Hagen’s Lake. It usually lasts all day, and it’s pretty fun, if you want to go,” Logan tells me as we get in the pool.
For a moment, I think about how much I have to do before school starts. I knew I”d be up late unpacking, and Wren offered to take me shopping for all the quintessential things I didn’t bring with me.
Maybe it’s not the best idea to join Logan, but it could also be an effective way for me to acclimate to the town.
So, I agree. “Yeah that sounds fun. Are your friends going to be there?”
Logan nods, as much as one can while halfway submerged in water. “The guys are coming, and Winnie is still trying to convince Gen to come.”
“Is one of them your girlfriend?” I ask out of curiosity. Nobody mentioned anything about Logan dating, but I feel inclined to ask.
“No, no,” he says almost too quickly. “Genevieve and Winnie are two of my best friends; we grew up together.” He points over the pool to the neighboring house, the only reason we can see it is because of the few lit windows. “That’s Winnie’s house.”
I hum, nodding in understanding. I sense there could be more by the way he reacted to my question, but I say nothing further on the subject.
“So, what does everyone do at the beach?” I change the subject. “I mean, besides the obvious.”
“There are food trucks the parents all pitch in to rent in the parking lot, courts are set up for beach volleyball, and a bunch of other stuff,” he says, hopping out of the pool and jumping straight back in off the diving board. “Me and some of the guys are planning on letting off fireworks toward the end of the night.”
“I wasn’t expecting American towns to actually be how they are in the movies,” I say.
When I have visited America, I typically stayed in bigger cities, but even the smaller towns I went to never seemed like this.
Logan laughs. “Most of them aren’t. Fairwood is just so small that it’s fun for all of us to take part in these types of traditions, especially the senior class.”
“I must have picked the best one then,” I joke, stretching my arms out below the water to keep myself afloat.
“I promise you, Fairwood is as cool as it gets around here. Some people hate the small-town vibe, but it can be super fun if you’re in the right small town.”
I look around again, taking in where I am—not in London, my home, but in Connecticut. I’m in possibly one of the classiest small towns in the state, ready to start another year of school.
“Well,” I pause, looking up at the night sky. “Let’s hope this truly is the small town you make it out to be.”
Logan grins as he swims past me and toward the ladder leading out of the pool. “You will not be disappointed, man,” he replies.
As I get out of the pool, all I can think is that I really hope he’s right.