Power

by Jillian Dodd

  “Gracie,” she says seriously, holding my arms, “You can always tell me anything. I’m always here for you. Just because the triplets are a few years older than you, doesn’t mean they have the life experience to give you good advice.”

  “Except for Avery,” I laugh, because she always gives good advice.

  “Except for Avery,” she agrees as there’s a knock on our door.

  “You two decent in there?”

  “Knox?” Keatyn’s face crunches up in confusion. “What the hell?”

  When the door opens, Riley and Knox both bound onto our bed. It seems sort of surreal sometimes to think my sister gets to sleep with Knox on screen and then go home to Aiden. My friend—I mean, my former friend—Kylie, used to say Keatyn was one lucky bitch.

  “Gracie!” Knox says, rubbing his hand across my hair. “Heard you got in a fight last night.”

  “Meow!” Braxton says, joining us by flopping his body across the bed.

  “What are you doing here, Knox?” Keatyn asks.

  “He wishes he went to Eastbrooke,” Dallas drawls from the doorway. “I told him not to come.”

  “But here I am anyway. Better than hitting Vegas again, don’t you think?”

  “I thought you had to work?”

  “Got done early. Took the red eye. I heard you need a date for the dance,” he says, batting his eyes at my sister.

  “I already have two dates,” she says, pointing toward Riley and Dallas.

  “Fine,” Knox says seriously, holding his hand to his heart. “I thought Riley might need some emotional support. I know what a trying time this is for him.”

  “Bullshit,” everyone says at once, laughing.

  “Fine. I thought maybe I could meet a woman here. A normal one.”

  “Ah, now the truth comes out,” Braxton says. “I’ll let you be my wingman. Brax will be on the prowl tonight too.”

  “Knox doesn’t believe in being the wingman,” Riley jokes.

  “Gotta be in the limelight all the time,” Dallas agrees, while Keatyn nods her head and laughs.

  “This is why I want to go to Eastbrooke,” I say, although I didn’t realize I said it out loud until Braxton says, “Speaking of Eastbrooke. Your boy is still crashed on the floor.”

  “He’s not my boy,” I say, even though I wish he were.

  “I’m crushed,” Baylor says from the doorway. God, how does he look so perfect in the morning? His hair is a little mushed to one side, but it just makes him look cuter. And those blue eyes and long, dark lashes.

  Shit!

  I realize that I have no flipping idea what I look like. “Uh, excuse me,” I say, hopping out of bed and rushing to the bathroom.

  When I shut the door, I realize how ridiculous I must have looked. Like a two-year old who was going to pee her pants.

  But then I appraise myself in the mirror and am I glad I did. I mean, everyone has to pee, right?

  I brush my teeth quickly and run a brush through my hair, wipe the mascara smudges off my cheek, and dab on some chap stick.

  “Let’s order breakfast!” Keatyn is saying as I come back out. She jumps up and grabs the hotel phone. “I’ll just order a bunch of everything and we can share!”

  I go toward the door. “Hey,” I say, a little awkwardly to Baylor. I’ve never been allowed to spend the night with a boy before. Not that we spent the night together. I just mean I’ve never woken up and they’ve been there.

  “Good morning,” Baylor says, running his hand through his hair, trying to get it to lie flat. “Can we go out on the balcony for a minute?”

  “Uh, sure,” I say, following him. Damn. Is he mad at me because I said he’s not my boy?

  “It’s chilly,” he says, running back inside to grab a blanket off the chaise. He brings it out and wraps it around us.

  “It is,” I say as we sit down next to each other with our shoulders touching. Actually, it’s more than our shoulders. It’s all the way down our arms. “You’re warm though.”

  “Gracie,” he says. “I need to tell you something. Dallas asked me about it last night and it’s all I’ve been thinking about. I know we’re not going out or anything, but that girl, Krissy . . . I, um, have been sleeping with her. I think that’s why she’s mad about you being here. She’s older and she’s slept with a lot of guys, from what I understand. I only did it—god, I sound so lame—because I hadn’t before. Most of my friends had done it last year. I had been waiting for someone special, but didn’t want to be the only virgin. And Krissy was interested in me. And she’s older. And I hadn’t met anyone special—so, I just wanted you to know. Maybe you don’t care. You probably don’t. And now you probably hate me. If you do, I understand. I just wanted to be honest with you. I like you.”

  I frown, the thought of him with anyone disturbs me way more than I expect.

  “I’m glad you told me,” I say flatly.

  “Um, what about your boyfriend?”

  “I don’t have a boyfriend anymore,” I snap.

  And, I swear, Baylor’s blue eyes sparkle when I do. Not to mention the devastatingly handsome smile that is spreading across his face.

  “Bad breakup?”

  I let out a sarcastic chuckle. “You could say that. He slept with my best friend while I was visiting Eastbrooke.”

  “Oh, wow. I’m sorry. Is that why you decided to come to Homecoming? Are you trying to get back at him?”

  “No! Please don’t think that. I came because—”

  “Food’s here!” Keatyn yells out the door, interrupting me.

  “Because why?” Time feels like it stands still when he reaches up and touches my face, his blue eyes gazing intently into mine.

  “Because I like you too.”

  Hotel Suite - Connecticut

  KEATYN

  We have breakfast then the boys go golfing while Gracie showers.

  I get a call from my former Eastbrooke roommate, Katie. We were on the dance team together, she took Dallas’ virginity, and was nicknamed Tigger because she was so bouncy. She’s well-endowed and her boobs tend to bounce as much as she does. I haven’t seen her since she came to California on spring break.

  “I wish we were at Homecoming right now,” she pouts.

  “I’m actually here.”

  “What? You went without me?”

  “Yeah, last minute. I’m with Riley.”

  “Oh, gosh. It’s his first time back, isn’t it? Maggie filled me in on what’s been going on with him and Ariela.”

  “Did she tell you everything? Like about next weekend?”

  “The party? I got the fancy invitation for the—wait! No, way! Are you and Aiden getting married?”

  “Yes. I hope you can come.”

  “I’ll be there for sure. Can I tell you a secret?”

  “Yes.”

  “I hate my job.”

  “I thought you loved teaching?”

  “I do,” she says with a sigh. “Maybe it’s that I hate myself. I gave in and slept with the hot young history teacher. Why can’t I date guys my own age? Why do I keep falling for fresh out of college boys? Boys who need a mother more than they need a girlfriend. I mean, can they really not bother to pick up their underwear when they know I’m coming over?”

  “I suppose it depends what time you’re going over there and if their mom picks up after them.”

  “Oh! Shut up! That was one time!” She giggles. “Oh my god, I will never live that down, will I?”

  “You never should’ve told us that his mom made you breakfast.”

  “Funny thing is, his mom and I are still friends! I had lunch with her the other day.”

  “Well, she is closer to your age than he is.”

  “She thinks I’m still in college. I always wear a ponytail when I see her. I’m horrible. So how’s Riley doing?”

  “He seems to be okay. Went golfing with the boys. He’ll probably come back drunk enough not to care. And Knox showed up.”

  “That man
is fine. Why can’t I meet someone who looks like him?”

  “If you come to the wedding, you can meet him.”

  “Oh, lord have mercy. I’ll probably have a spontaneous orgasm. Or my ovaries will explode.”

  “When you meet him, you should ask him the question you always want me to find out the answer to.”

  “What I want to know is why in the world has no reporter ever asked him. It’s the one question every woman in America wants to know, whether they’d admit to it or not.”

  “I dare you—no, I double dog with hot fudge on top dare you—to ask him.”

  “I can see it now. I have a few thousand glasses of wine, stumble toward him. He catches me in his arms and I ask him. Only he doesn’t understand because I’m drunk and it sounds like Knox, do you mumble mumble really and if we mumble mumble would you mumble mumble mine down lower?”

  “Katie! Oh my god! I thought you were going to ask if he bites a girl’s lip when he kisses her in real life! Not if he does it when he goes down on her.”

  “You didn’t know that’s what I’ve always been talking about? Every time I see you two kiss on screen that’s all I can think about. Him going down on me. Oh—shit, gotta go, my doorbell is ringing. The hot asshole history teacher is taking me to lunch.”

  “Well, that sounds sweet!”

  “Okay, I lied. He’s bringing lunch, but we won’t eat it because he will attack me the second I open the door.”

  “And that sounds hot. Enjoy!”

  “You too. Tell Foxy Knoxy that I’m coming for him.”

  I hang up the phone laughing as I let the hair and makeup team in, order some lunch from room service, and then get myself in the shower.

  “What do you think?” Gracie asks, holding up her hands and showing off pretty, pale pink nails with black tips. “I got a fun French manicure. Subtle, but cute, right?”

  “It’s very pretty and will go with anything you wear.”

  I pay the hair and makeup team and let them out of the suite as Kym is coming down the hall with two bellmen in tow. It’s already five o’clock, and I was starting to get worried she wasn’t going to make it in time.

  “Auntie Kym!” Gracie screeches, hopping up to give her a hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

  “I dressed you for the premiere just a few weeks ago!”

  “Well, it feels like forever,” Gracie smiles.

  “You know how to work it, don’t you? Trying to butter me up, so I’ll let you wear something your mother wouldn’t approve of?”

  A Cheshire cat grin spreads across Gracie’s face. “Maybe.”

  “I swear, you both smile just like your mother,” she huffs, coming over to give me cheek kisses. “It just so happens there is nothing on these racks that she would approve of.”

  “Can I see?” Gracie asks, standing patiently by the door as the bellman leave, only to be replaced by Dallas, Knox, Riley, and Braxton, who are tipsy and sweaty.

  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite stylist,” Knox drawls, giving Kym air kisses. “How’s married life treating you?”

  Kym finally tied the knot last summer after dating a real estate mogul for over five years.

  “It’s good. He’s as busy as I am, working on a new business development in Dubai. We meet up for sex every week then go our separate ways. The perfect arrangement.” She glances at Gracie then says, “You didn’t hear that.”

  “My lips are sealed,” Gracie says, pretending to zip her lip.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” Braxton says. “Keatyn, wanna join me?”

  “Not this time, Brax, but thanks!” I say with a laugh.

  “Your date, Baylor, is a good golfer. Like, really good,” Dallas says to Gracie, as he makes Kym a drink.

  “He beat Dallas for best ball every time,” Riley chuckles as he flops onto the couch.

  After Kym takes a sip, she rolls the clothes into the bedroom. “You all stay seated on the couch. Miss Gracie and I are going to put on a fashion show. You can help her decide what to wear.”

  “You know she’s going to decide what she wants to wear,” I say.

  “She does have strong opinions, that’s for sure,” Kym agrees.

  After about twenty minutes, I’m getting worried that Kym didn’t bring anything Gracie likes. But then the door opens and Gracie bounds out in a skintight embossed black halter dress with a plunging neckline.

  “What do you think?” she asks, spinning around for us.

  “Uh,” both Dallas and Riley say. I think they are shocked to see that she has boobs. And her cleavage is fully on display in this dress.

  “Love it,” Knox says. “Is that for the after party?”

  “It is,” Kym says. A Cavalli mini dress with the Fendi Chunky Mixed-Media Hole Punch Sandal. We didn’t do any jewelry because the dress says it all.”

  “What’s the dress supposed to say?” Riley asks. “Because it looks really sexy. Too sexy.”

  Gracie starts jumping up and down and hugging Kym. “Yay! You made me look sexy. Too sexy! It’s perfect! Come on, let’s show them the dress for the dance,” she says, dragging Kym back into the bedroom.

  “What just happened?” Riley asks.

  “You played into her hand,” Knox says, setting his drink down. “She likes Baylor. She wants to look hot for him.”

  “She does,” I agree.

  “She’s not supposed to look hot. She’s like twelve!” Riley says.

  “Fifteen!” Gracie yells from the bedroom.

  “Fourteen!” I yell back, teasing her. “But Knox is right. She likes him.”

  Dallas lowers his voice. “Did you find out what happened with Brady?”

  “He slept with her best friend after he told her they should lose their virginity to each other.”

  “Oh, I’m gonna kill that little bastard,” Riley says. “What a fucking douche.”

  “Like you never told a girl anything she wanted to hear to get her into bed,” Dallas says to Riley.

  “I know I’ll tell them anything,” Brax says, walking out into the room wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

  “Speaking of grown up,” I say to him, because last time I saw him in a swimsuit, he did not look like that.

  He poses, almost losing the towel but grabbing it at the last second. “I was working out with Dawson before he ditched me for California. Put on a few pounds.” He looks down at himself, satisfied. “And a few muscles. Wanna lick my abs?”

  “Can we do body shots off them like in the movie?” Gracie asks, coming back out in another dress. I see now why she tried on the other one first. It makes this pale pastel one look demure in comparison, but it’s really not.

  “Pale peach Herve Leger bandage dress with rose gold hardware. Adds a bit of an industrial element to the lingerie style,” Kym says. “And walk, Gracie, so they can see the hem. I love how it flutters with the two-tone fringe. I’ve paired it with black wavy suede cutout booties by Sophia Webster.”

  Gracie stands in front of me. Her hair has grown out to almost a bob, but she’s wearing long extensions tonight and looks even more grown up than usual.

  I stand up and hug her. “You look beautiful, Gracie. It’s the perfect dress.”

  “Your body is rocking, little Miss Gracie,” Braxton says. “Baylor’s jaw will drop to the floor when he sees you.”

  “Do you think so?” Gracie says, clasping her hands together and spinning in a circle. “I can’t wait!”

  “Keatyn, I’m going to touch up Gracie’s makeup. Why don’t you come try a few things on?” Kym suggests. “And boys, I shouldn’t have to say it, but get ready.”

  “I’m almost ready!” Braxton yells. “That means I get to do a shot.”

  I point my finger at the rest of them, sprawled across the couches and worn out from golf and drinking all afternoon. “You better do as she says.”

  I’m dressed and ready before the boys are, so I join Braxton back out in the living room. He looks ver
y handsome and so different from how he used to.

  “You look like a man,” I tell him.

  “I’m serious about a job. I know you think I just want to come out there and just fuck around, but I don’t. I’ve already gotten two promotions where I’m at.”

  “You need to talk to your brother. I think he might have some ideas.”

  “Awesome.”

  “So, what happened with you and Embry? You were together for what—five, six years?”

  “Since our senior year of high school. Made it through college together. I had even bought a ring.”

  “You did?!”

  “Yeah. I mean, it’s what was expected of us. We’d graduated college and everyone was asking when we were getting married. It seemed like the next step. But I’d had the ring for two months when she said she was going to Seattle without me. Every time I thought about proposing, something stopped me. So I think it was meant to be. Overall, she wants different things out of life than I do. She’s so serious. Everyone always said that it was good we were opposites. I know opposites attract, but you still need to have the same basic core values, the same goals in life. She didn’t know if she wanted to have kids. I don’t want them right now, but I definitely want them. Family is important to me, even more so after what happened with Whitney. I spend a lot of time with my nieces. I’m totally their favorite uncle. Speaking of that, you didn’t do a shot last night. You knocked up?”

  I bite my lip, trying not to smile.

  “Ha! Knew it!” he says. “Congratulations.” He goes and pours two shots. “And to prove just how happy I am for you, I’ll drink a couple shots in your honor.”

  SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH

  Eastbrooke Academy - Connecticut

  KEATYN

  “You look sad,” Riley says as he sits down next to me.

  “I’m watching my baby sister dance with a boy. She looks so pretty and grown up tonight. It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that I used to rock her to sleep.”

  “My parents always say they blinked and we were all in college. I think you’re doing the right thing, taking time off after you have the baby. And I think we should take the offer to sell off Captive.”