by M. A. Foster
“Of course, sweetie. You’ve been through a lot today. Come into the living room and sit down.” She gestures behind her, then turns to Patrick. “I’ll be right back with coffee. Your father will be out in a minute. He’s been on the phone with Mac on and off all night.”
Principal David Avery, my grandfather, walks into the living room. He’s less intimidating in a pair of sweatpants and a faded blue University T-shirt.
Patrick stands to hug his father and they clap each other on the back. “How’re Leslie and the boys?”
I still. I’d forgotten about Patrick’s family. I have two younger half-brothers and a stepmother.
Patrick offers me an apologetic look.
What is he sorry for?
“Harper,” Principal Avery cheers as he reaches for me. “How are you doing? This must be so hard on you.” He looks over at Patrick. “Harper and Jayla are my special girls. Both in the top 5 percent in their class.”
Patrick smiles proudly. “Dad, I need to talk to you and Mom. Mom!” Patrick calls out to Ms. Patty. “Can you come out here, please?”
Ms. Patty rushes into the living room carrying a tray of coffee mugs, creamer, and sugar packets and sets it on the coffee table.
She’s so sweet.
“Sit down, please.” He drops onto the edge of the sofa beside me and leans with his forearms resting on his thighs. “About six months ago, I got a message from Max telling me that I had a daughter I should meet. He didn’t go into specifics but he sent me a few pictures.”
I pull the letter from between the pages of the journal and pass it to him. “This journal was my mother’s. After she died, my sister got a hold of it and the letter. I found the journal when I was packing up Jade’s things. She moved us here and enrolled me in your school, after our mom died, because she wanted me to be closer to you.”
Ms. Patty gasps and brings her hand to her mouth. Principal Avery’s eyes immediately shift to me and I avert my gaze. “Why didn’t you say anything, Harper?”
I shrug, brushing away a piece of invisible lint from my leggings. “I didn’t know how.”
“She told me in the car that she was afraid you’d be upset with her.”
“We’re not upset with you,” Ms. Patty says. “It’s just… you should’ve said something. Especially when those girls—”
“Patty.” Principal Avery give a slight shake of his head and then turns to me. “I already knew,” he admits. “Max told me.”
Figures.
“David, why didn’t you tell me?” Ms. Patty asks.
He looks over at her and rolls his eyes. “Because you wear your heart on your sleeve, Patty. The second you laid eyes on her she’d know that we knew.”
Ms. Patty shrugs, unapologetically.
Principal Avery returns his attention to me. “Don’t be upset with Max. He was only concerned about those girls giving you hard time.”
Patrick tilts his head with a slightly irritated expression. “What did they do to you?”
I give a slight shrug. “Nothing really. Just stupid girl drama. It didn’t bother me until they got physical.”
He swings his gaze to his father. “I hope you handled it.”
Principal Avery chuckles. “I didn’t have to. Emerson is not a woman you want to piss off, especially if you hurt her girls.”
I can’t help but smile at that. Remembering she’d said the same thing that day at the hospital.
I’m one of her girls.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY.” I clasp hands with my best friend, bringing him in for a bro-hug and a slap on the back.
Jay rented out a private room at the Oceanside Grill to celebrate Zach’s 19th birthday. I think it’s also her way of showing him how much she appreciates him for sticking by her during her recovery.
Jay’s recovery was hard on her and everyone close to her. Especially Zach. After Jay was released from the hospital, Zach moved in. And I didn’t even give him shit about it. He almost lost the love of his life and it scared the shit out of him. Emerson didn’t seem to mind him there either. Zach took care of her. Stayed up with her when she had nightmares. Covered her mirrors so she wouldn’t be reminded of what had been done to her. He protected her.
Physically, her bruises have healed. The only evidence of her attack is a small scar in her hairline. Emotionally, she’s still healing.
Ever since the day Jay was attacked, Emerson and Elizabeth have been mending their friendship and acting as if twenty plus years hadn’t gone by.
And they’re not the only ones who have made amends. Ashton and Lexi are working on their friendship, too. They’re not as close as they were before but Ashton has done a complete one-eighty. While Jay was in the hospital, Ashton went with Lexi to visit her almost every day. What happened to Jay and Kali upset a lot of people. Our town might be filled with a bunch of rich assholes but our community is tight and when one of ours gets hurt, we come together. Especially a Mackenzie.
After dinner, the server rolls out a giant cake but before everyone starts to sing, Zach turns to Jay and asks her to sing. Jay had some bruising to her vocal chords, but over the last couple of months she’s been working with a physical therapist and a voice coach to get her voice back to normal. At first, her voice is a little shaky. It’s obvious she’s nervous but then suddenly she straightens her spine, determined, and nails it like the rock star she was meant to be. Then the rest of us join in and sing “Happy Birthday” all over.
Just as Zach escorts Jay to the bathroom, mine, Emerson’s and Evangeline’s phones all ping at the same time with a Google alert.
Harper leans against my arm as I swipe the screen and pull up the alert.
New lead singer of Royal Mayhem, Alex Vargas, is Marcus Alexander King, Jr. Marcus King’s love child.
Harper gasps and looks up at me with wide eyes. “Is that true?” she whispers.
I nod.
“Shit!” Emerson jerks up from her chair and moves to the corner of the room, bringing her phone to her ear. Alex and Eva follow. The three of them are speaking in hushed voices when Zach and Jay walk in.
And I can tell the exact moment, Jay learns that Alex is her brother. Her face pales, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. I knew this would happen.
It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
Alex looks crestfallen. Eva is crying. But Emerson takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders like she’s preparing for battle. In a way, I guess she is.
Zach curls his arm around her waist protectively, as she turns her head to scan the rest of us at the table. Her expression isn’t angry. It’s full of hurt.
As if she hasn’t been through enough.
Her voice rises slightly as she says something about ‘being a bunch of liars’ before she storms out of the room with Zach hot on her heels and Troy and Levi right behind them.
“This is bad,” Lexi whispers from across the table.
Harper looks over at me. “Why would they keep that from her?”
“It’s not their fault. It was Uncle Marcus’s decision to keep it from her,” I tell them.
“Should we go after her?” Cherry asks.
“No. Let her cool off. You can talk to her on the plane.”
The whole group of us are leaving in the morning and heading to St. Thomas for spring break. It will be the first time I’ve left Willow since she was born. But it’s my senior year and my last hurrah. And my parents are actually the ones who suggested I go.
“WHAT DO YOU mean they left?” I ask Emerson as I dial Jay’s number.
“I’m sorry,” Jay says by way of answering. “I’m sending the plane back to get you the day after tomorrow. I just needed a few days alone with Zach.”
I had every intention of bitching her out but hearing the defeat in her voice, I ask, “Are you okay?”
There’s a pause before she says, “Yeah, I’m just confused. I want to be mad at everyone for keeping it from me but I know it was because of my dad. Why would he keep somethi
ng like this from me? Wouldn’t he want me to know my brother?”
I heave a deep breath. “You do know your brother. Nothing’s changed. He’s still Alex. Just like with me and Harper. Nothing’s changed. She’s still Harper.” It took me a while to get that through my stubborn head, but I did.
“Yeah, I guess. I’m just sick to death of all these secrets. What is wrong with this family?”
That makes me laugh.
JAY KEPT HER word and we finally made it to St. Thomas and spent the remainder of the week hanging out and enjoying our last spring break of high school. It was bitter sweet knowing that in just a few months we’ll all be going our separate ways. Except for me, Zach, and Evan.
While we were in St. Thomas, Harper finally told me how she and her ex, Josh, met. At first I didn’t believe her. I couldn’t picture my sweet Harper dressed up in burlesque style outfits and serving drinks to rich, old fuckers. But then I realized this is Harper, and nothing should surprise me. Of course, I agreed to let it go as long as she burned those outfits and replaced them with new ones just for me.
Carter’s dad took the job in California and Carter is moving the day after graduation. He still hasn’t told Olivia he’s leaving. I can’t imagine that will go over well with her. Leave it to Carter to break his own heart for his little brother.
It’s a hard pill to swallow knowing I won’t get to see my best friend every day. But I hope that our friendship is strong enough to hold against time and distance. I’ll look forward to seeing him again on field.
Shortly after spring break came senior prom. Jay performed with her Project Mayhem class and afterward, she and Zach were crowned as prom King and Queen.
And now we all are gathered in a ballroom at the Heritage Bay Beach Club, celebrating our graduation.
“Patrick wants me to go to Chicago over the summer before classes start,” Harper says.
Harper talks to Patrick almost every day on FaceTime. She finally met her two younger brothers and her stepmom, Leslie, when they flew here shortly after she met Patrick.
“How long will you be gone?”
“A few weeks. I’ll be back in time to get settled in our place before school starts.”
Harper and I are both attending Gulf Coast University together. Since we’re not going to be living in the dorms, my parents offered us the guesthouse. Harper is cutting back her hours at Mac’s so she can spend more time with Willow and help get her adjusted to our new routine.
A collective ding of a dozen cell phones echoes around the ballroom.
“What the heck is that?” Harper asks, scanning the room.
“Google alert,” Lexi informs her as she walks up holding her phone. She swipes her finger across the screen and a moment later, a loud gasp bursts from her lips, her eyes bulging.
I lean in to see the headline.
JAYBIRD IS OFF THE MARKET
Jayla King, 18, whom we’ve all come to know as Jaybird, is off the market. A source tells us that the rising star married her longtime boyfriend, Zach Easton, 19, while vacationing in St. Thomas. The couple exchanged their “I dos” in a private ceremony on the secluded beach near King’s villa. The source claims the two seemed happy and very much in love.
That’s bullshit. We all spent spring break together in St. Thomas. I’m pretty sure I’d remember if my cousin and my best friend, eloped. We were together the whole time except—
“Jaylaaaaa!” Emerson screeches, storming toward the balcony. Zach and Jay are on the opposite side of the glass, looking guilty as hell.
Holy shit. They eloped.
“WHAT’S WRONG?” I ask Jay as I wave her inside the guesthouse where Cole and I are living. I was supposed to go to Chicago to visit Patrick and his—my new—family but I had to push my visit back due to Jay’s wedding in four weeks.
“My mom’s driving me crazy!” She throws her hands up in frustration. “I’m letting her have this wedding because she’s my mom and I feel guilty for taking something away from her that I shouldn’t have, especially with my dad gone, but….” She heaves a deep sigh, drops down on the sofa, and leans her head back on the cushions.
I fight back a smile.
“I actually came here for another reason.” She rolls her head to the side to look at me, a smile on her face. “Will you be one of my bridesmaids?”
Jay is my best friend. We lived together for five months. I kind of hoped that she would ask me to be in her wedding, but for some reason her words are a direct hit to my heart. I bring my hands to my face and burst into tears.
“Hey,” she coos as she wraps her hands around my wrists. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head as I gently tug my hands free from her grip to wipe away the tears. “I’m just….” I blow out a ragged breath. “Overwhelmed. I never had a best friend, except for Jade. Our sisterly bond was diluted by our struggles to survive without our mom. We never talked about our hopes and dreams like best friends or sisters do. The first heart to heart we had was the night before she died. It wasn’t until I met you that I realized how much I needed friendship and family, and because of you I have that. And now my best friend is asking me to be in her wedding.”
“Oh my God, Harper.” She leans forward and throws her arms around me. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers before pulling back, still gripping my arms. “I would’ve asked you to be my maid of honor, but I’m pretty sure Weenie would cut you.”
APPLAUSE AND CHEERS erupt as Zach and Jay exit the dance floor and make their way to the sweetheart table at the front of the room. Emerson, Mimi, Zach’s mom Elizabeth, and Zach’s grandma Kate did an amazing job putting together such a beautiful wedding in such a short amount of time.
“And now it’s time for the best man toast,” Eric announces.
Leave it to Jay to hire her Project Mayhem class as the entertainment.
However, the expressions on their faces when the guys from Royal Mayhem, including Alex, and the guys from LAW walked on stage was much more entertaining.
Jay just shrugged and told them they better get used to it because they would be spending the next three months with those guys.
“That’s my cue,” Cole whispers in my ear before kissing my temple and standing from his chair. More whistles and cheers erupt as he makes his way to the stage and takes the microphone.
He clears his throat and sends his signature smirk Zach and Jay’s way. Zach smirks back, but Jay’s expression is relaxed. However, behind that fixed smile is a clear warning.
“I think most of us expected that we’d be here someday. Maybe not this soon.” A round of laughter rolls around the room. “But the heart wants what it wants.” His eyes shift to me, then back to Zach and Jay. “Ever since the day they met, Zach six years old and Jay still five, he has always looked at her as if she’d hung the moon and the stars. I swear, even to this day whenever he looks at her, little hearts float from his eyes.”
He laughs and Zach nods as he leans over to kiss Jay.
“Jay, on the other hand, was better at hiding it. Maybe it’s because she was the only girl. Maybe she was afraid of what Uncle Marcus would have to say about his little girl falling in love.” His gaze zeroes in on Jay. “He’d say, ‘I couldn’t have picked a better man myself for my Jaybird.’”
“MY PARENTS ARE keeping Willow tonight so you and I can have some alone time.”
I smile, imagining he’ll be saying those same words often. Cole slides his hands from my lower back down to cup my ass, giving it a squeeze. I let out a soft moan but quickly come to my senses, remembering where we are.
“Cole,” I admonish, looking around to see if anyone is paying attention.
“What?” He chuckles. “We’re in the middle of the dance floor and the lights are dim. No one can see us.” He presses himself closer to me, as if he’s trying to merge our bodies into one. “I don’t know if it’s because of this wedding or what, but I want you so bad right now. Feel that?” He rocks his hips forward.
Oh yeah. I
feel it. And I want it. Inside me. Right now.
“No holding back tonight, Harper. I’m gonna make you scream.”
“Jesus, Cole.”
JUST AS THE apartment door slams, Cole and I move to wrestle each other out of our clothes. But between buttons, bobby pins, cummerbunds, and bow ties, Cole loses his patience.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t wait.” He turns me so my back is against the wall and lifts my dress to bunch around my hips. I curl my leg around his waist and rock my hips, seeking friction. Cole dips his head to bring his lips to mine as he moves my panties to the side. Suddenly he tears his lips away and a deep groan barrels from his chest as he pushes himself into me.
His thrusts are deep, hard, and fast.
This is Cole.
His passion.
His love.
All for me.
I love it.
And I love him.
Our panting and moans of pleasure echo through the empty room as our still-clothed bodies move together, racing toward ecstasy.
Electricity zips through my limbs from my fingertips down to my toes, and a loud cry escapes me as I fall over the edge, Cole falling right beside me.
Coming down from our orgasmic high, our breaths labored, I drop my leg to the floor and that’s when I realize our mistake. I jerk my head up to meet Cole’s gaze. He’s watching me warily.
“We didn’t use a condom,” I whisper.
“I know.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think.” I bite down on my lip, waiting for him to freak out. “You know I’m on the pill.”
“I know.”
“Why aren’t you freaking out?”
“Because I trust you. I trust us. I love you, Harper. From now on, it’s just me and you with nothing between us. I’m throwing caution to the wind or some shit.” I smile. Such a romantic. “Whatever happens, happens.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
