Sonja clapped her hands and Sydney smiled. “That a girl.”
Liam wrapped his arms around me from behind, the warm solid length of his body pressed against my back as I placed my key in the door.
“Don’t be mad at me, please.” His words were muffled in my hair as he kissed the back of my head.
I sighed, turned in his arms, and gently pushed him away to meet his eyes. “I’m not mad. But this isn’t happening.” I gestured my hand between us. “Good night, Liam. Go back up to your party guest.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong. Chelsea and Taylor started the night at my club. Once I had my business details worked out, we all road over together. That’s it. Taylor’s just a friend.” He leaned forward, his arms extending on either side of me to the door at my back, caging me in. “It’s you I’ve been thinking about all day. Ever since I saw you in that bikini.” He leaned down, smelled the skin on my shoulder and placed a kiss over the spot. “You still smell like the beach and sunshine.” He ran the edge of his nose along my neck, sending an electric current of lust down my spine. His golden eyes stared into mine, and I saw the wolf in them. He looked at me like I was dinner. “Let me come in. Let me just hold you and kiss you in bed.” He moved his hands to my hips and squeezed. “You feel amazing.” His head dipped to my neck again, and he trailed his tongue down to my collar bone.
“No.” I pushed him away as I strained to breathe air and think straight. He had my insides going haywire, reacting when I didn’t want them to. I reached back to open my door. “Good night, Liam,” I said as I slipped into the apartment and closed the door between us, promptly locking it.
I checked the peephole, and after a moment of staring at the door, he walked away. Then I took a long shower before passing out in bed, thankful for the oblivion of a dreamless night.
I woke early the next morning to sun shining through my window and a surprisingly slight headache. The scent of freshly brewed coffee beckoned to me from the kitchen. Thank you, mother.
The kitchen tiles were cold on my bare feet as I poured my coffee. As I stirred the creamer into my drink, my mother’s door opened.
My heart stopped as my father, Connor, emerged. He was dressed in a suit and tie, and I stared dumbly, assessing the situation.
At least he was fully dressed. There were plenty of mornings growing up that my mother’s guest greeted me in their underwear.
“Good morning Kate. I’m surprised to see you awake. You went out with your sisters last night, right? They would never be up this early.” He smiled and shook his head, seemingly unfazed by my presence. “I’m glad to have this opportunity to talk to you though.”
Mother walked through her door wearing her silk robe, cinched at the waist. “Connor you have your morning tee time with the Hilton’s in thirty minutes? Do you want a travel mug for your coffee?” She paused when she saw me, but quickly readjusted her face to a smile and went about making his cup of coffee.
“Yes.” He smiled at her. “Make a lunch reservation at one for Kate and me at the club. Are you available for lunch Kate?”
His plans surprised me. All I could do was nod my head in response.
“Good. I’ll see you then. Your mother will give you the directions.” He grabbed the mug from my mother and walked out of the apartment.
I stared at my mother, waiting for some sort of explanation.
She smiled at me. “Things are going wonderfully for me, dear. And it seems to be going well for you too. I think this was our best move yet. It’s finally time for good things to happen to us.” She hugged me and smoothed my hair. “I’ll get you the directions to the country club after my shower.”
I stared after her as she walked to her room. Then I looked at my full cup. My stomach clenched, leaving no room for food or drink. I poured my coffee down the sink and went to get my running clothes.
The server walked me to a table on the lanai overlooking a lush garden and waterfall.
Connor had not arrived yet, and I fidgeted with my phone, unsure whether I should call him or not. The server brought me an ice tea and relayed that Connor would be here momentarily.
Several minutes later, he walked in and sat across from me. “You look lovely Kate. Have you ordered yet?”
I shook my head.
“They have a delicious Ginger Salmon Salad. Would you like that?”
I smiled. “Yes, please.”
Connor gave our server our order and then leveled me with his gaze. “I’ve been tracking your spending Kate. And I have to say I’m very surprised.”
My mind thought about what I’ve spent the money on, some food, my furniture, and that first night out at the club. I blushed and looked at my lap. At the time, I’d wanted him to be disappointed with my spending of the money, but now, I was just embarrassed.
“Your sisters barely make it through the month with their allowance, but you’ve barely spent any of it. You’ll get more next month. Use the money to buy yourself some necessities like clothes and…stuff.”
“Okay,” I said carefully, an awkward laugh breaking through.
“I had your mother pick this up for you today.” He pulled an iPhone out of his inside coat pocket and laid it on the table next to my cell phone. “It’s your same phone number. All you have to do is activate it. Your mother has all the accessories for you at home.”
I stared from the new phone to him and back again. Then I picked it up, as if it might explode. “Thank you.”
He smiled at me. “I’m glad you like it. You needed a better phone. Yours was not safe. You’re in a new city, and your mother says you like to run. You need a reliable phone.”
“Thank you,” I said again. I didn’t want to get too excited, but I was beginning to think that this man may actually care for me.
“Now onto the next issue, school.”
I put both phones into my purse to deal with later. The server brought our plates over, and I took a bite, not tasting the food but thankful for the excuse to not talk.
“Tell me your plans first, and then I’ll share my ideas.” He narrowed his eyes at me, and I knew he would judge me by my response.
I chewed slowly and reluctantly swallowed. “I’m not sure what to do about school. I had thought to come to California and get a job as a PT assistant. Then I’d think about school after I had some experience, but my certification does not carry over from Georgia so I have to figure out how to get certified. Of course, this was before…” I shook my head, unsure what to say.
“Everything changed.” Connor finished my thought. “You have options now.” He took a sip of his drink and then leaned forward in his chair. “If you want to continue with physical therapy, fine, but get a full degree. Or think larger. You could be a doctor. Does that interest you?”
“Yes, it does. I just never thought it would have been possible.” It still didn’t seem possible.
“Well, it is. First thing you have to do is enroll in a school. The major can be decided and changed later. Don’t worry about acceptance. You will get accepted. Where do you want to go? I hope you’ll stay nearby of course. But if you want to go somewhere else, I will fund that too.”
“I was thinking of USC or UCLA.”
He pulled out his phone, and his quick fingers danced over the screen. “I’ll set up appointments for you to meet with an admissions counselor at each school tomorrow. Tour them, ask questions, and see which programs you like better. Then make a choice. We can have lunch again on Wednesday. I want you enrolled somewhere by then.” He raised his eyebrows at me in challenge.
I smiled, grateful for his efforts. “Thank you,” I said for the umpteenth time. I was so grateful for the opportunities he was giving me, I didn’t even care to question him about the past at the moment.
“Now, let’s talk about your car.”
Giddy bubbles fizzed in my stomach as I sat back and happily let him direct what I should do.
My mother and I drove off the Audi dealership two hours later. Bo
th of us were in a new car. Connor invited my mother to choose a car since he insisted his assistant needed a nice car too. It was easy to push the uncharitable thoughts I had about their arrangement out of my head while sitting in the all leather interior of my new Gray Audi S8. I wasn’t in the mood to judge their relationship. For now, I was just thankful to be where I was.
I turned up the radio, wound down the windows, and enjoyed the drive home.
I jumped over my bed to answer my new phone. “Hello.”
I was expecting it to be Lexi, but it wasn’t her lively voice that greeted me.
“Well, someone’s in a good mood to hear from me. I guess that means I’m forgiven?” Liam asked.
I sighed. “No one can ruin my day today. What’s up?”
“I ordered a bunch of Chinese food, come up and have dinner with me.”
I paused, unsure how to answer.
“It’s casual. We can relax and watch TV or a movie.”
I still hesitated, and Liam continued to appeal his case, “Ethan’s here so we’ll have a chaperone if that’s your concern. Of course, I could go to your place if you prefer.”
I checked the clock. “Game of Thrones comes on at nine. I've got to watch that.”
He laughed. “I’ll let you control the remote. no strings attached.”
“Okay, I’ll come up.” I hung up the phone and cradled it in my hand, wondering if I was making a mistake. Could I change our relationship to a friendship? That was my goal. With Ethan there, I figured I was safe enough from his advances.
“Where are you going?” My mother asked as I reached the front door. “A few floors up to a friend’s for dinner.” I turned, surprised at her concern.
She leaned on the kitchen counter. “A boy? What’s his name?”
“Liam Ludlow and his roommate, Ethan Brenner.”
Her eyes widened with her smile. “Oh, good girl. Ludlow is a big name in this town. That would be a good match. Now that you’re from a family with a name, you need to be selective who you date. It is Liam that you’re dating, right?”
I shook my head, frustrated with her. “I’m not really dating either of them. We’re just friends.”
“Well, that’s a start. Good luck, sweetie.”
True to his word, Liam kept dinner low key. It was fun hanging out with him and Ethan, and we talked about making a routine of it. Liam was already thinking of what we could order out next week.
After I said goodbye to Ethan, Liam walked me to the elevator. He kissed me for the first time today and promised to call me later this week. But as the doors started to close, he stopped them and pulled me off the elevator.
“What are you doing?” I asked surprised.
“I can’t let you leave without clearing this up.” He wrapped his arms around me and looked down into my eyes. “I meant what I said yesterday. I don’t want you dating anyone else. Is that still our agreement?” He brushed a strand of hair off my cheek, and his fingers trailed down my neck as he studied my face.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to date anyone else either?” I challenged, keeping my body stiff and resisting the urge to lean into his touch.
He laughed and the spark of anger in me burst into flames. I pushed away from him.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to laugh,” he soothed, taking a step towards me until I had my back against the wall. “It’s just cute to see you jealous. I’m not dating anyone else. I know yesterday looked bad, but Taylor is just a friend.”
“Okay, that’s cleared up then.” I pressed the elevator button again and stepped to the side of him to stand in front of the doors.
He looked sideways at me. “You’re still mad, I can tell. I’ll make it up to you. You’ll see.” He looked at the elevator numbers as it arrived on his floor. “Good night.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine as if asking permission.
I allowed myself to lean into his warmth, and his hand traveled from the back of my neck to the curve of my hip before the doors opened, and I pulled away.
My father and I were at the same table, at the same restaurant as before. This time, I was a little less nervous.
“After seeing both campuses, I’ve chosen USC.” I paused for a reaction, but he gave none. His sharp gaze worried me, like I failed an impossible test. I rushed to continue, “The class sizes were smaller, and I’ll have a better chance of future recommendations if I get to know the professors, which will be easier in a smaller school. So, I chose USC.” I waited again and took a sip of my drink to cover my nerves.
“That was a good decision, I’m glad you put thought behind it. Have you decided pre-med then?”
“I’ll start out undeclared but leaning the pre-health route. I haven’t decided between medicine and physical therapy. There are some overlapping classes I can take at first.”
“Good. If you need help with an internship let me know.”
I left lunch in a good mood but wondered how or when we would broach the past. For now, I was content with building our relationship.
My bedroom was full of flowers from Liam. Every morning, a new arrangement was delivered with a cheesy note comparing my beauty to the petals or hoping they made me think of him. We’d gone out to dinner twice this week and always ended the night with a kiss at my door. He’d promised to make up for the previous weekend, and as I inhaled the pleasant aroma of a nearby arrangement of Lilly’s, I deemed him forgiven, for now. Although this weekend would be a test for him, and his last chance.
The group, as I now thought of my sisters, Sydney, Ethan, Liam, and Taylor, were going to Sonja’s boyfriend’s beach house in Santa Barbra for the weekend. Actually, the boys were only going Saturday night, but us girls were going a day ahead of them.
I collected my bathroom belongings to add to my duffle bag for the weekend as my mother walked into my room.
“Oh honey, is this all you’re taking?” she unzipped my bag to inspect the contents.
I took it from her and placed my bathroom supplies into the outer zipper. “It’s only a weekend at the beach. I won’t need much.”
Her smile didn’t falter at my defensive tone. “Just one moment, I bought you something.” She squealed as she left my room and returned seconds later with a shopping bag. “I bought you a new bikini and cover-up for the trip.” She pulled out a bright purple and white string bikini and a sheer tan cover-up. “These shoes go with it.” She pulled out matching wedges.
“Thanks, Mom. This is nice.”
“Well, you have to dress to impress. That Ludlow boy will be there, right?” Her gaze swept across the array of flowers in my room. “You’ve already caught his attention, now you have to keep it. This is so exciting. We’re both reeling in our prize.” She winked at me, and my stomach sunk.
I was not dating Liam for his money. although I’d be lying if I claimed his wealth and power wasn’t a turn on.
“I have a hair appointment now. Have fun Kate.” She patted my hand and then glided out of the room, humming a song as she left the apartment.
~Carly~
She no longer concerned herself with the other woman.
He may say sweet words to her on the phone, but his hand would often be on Carly’s leg when he did so.
And he may take her to dinner and take pictures with this other girl, but Carly was the one he curled up with at night.
Plus, Carly knew what his plan for Kate was. Maybe he wanted to wait till the news released before he broke it off with this other girl. Maybe he didn't want to cause bad publicity at the moment.
Whatever his logic, and whatever was going on with this other woman, it couldn't be that serious. Not when it was Carly’s name on his lips when he climaxed and her ear he whispered, ‘I love you’ to before wrapping her into his arms and going to sleep.
Chapter Ten
Not everyone is sincere.
“Time for a refill,” Sonja declared, lifting the margarita pitcher off the table and topping off everyone's cup.
“Shit, Sonja, be careful,” Taylor admonished when the liquid spilled over the side of her cup.
“Oops.” She giggled, unaffected, and walked to the next glass.
“All right, so who’s next? We've all gone.” Sydney gestured to Sonja, Chelsea, and herself. “Now it's Taylor’s turn. What was your best memory?”
Taylor groaned. “I can’t possibly choose just one memory. I’ve had a great life.” She took a sip of her drink, then looked around at each of us, considering. “All right, I have one. It was in High School, when our French class had that trip to Paris, remember?” She asked the room, and many heads nodded.
It reminded me of how different our lives had been. This group went on field trips to other countries, our schools never left the city we were in.
“Well, one night we snuck out past curfew—”
“I remember that. I was scared we'd get caught, but you didn’t care. Ethan, Liam, and Brody were with us too,” Chelsea said.
She nodded, continuing, “And Annemarie. We went to some of the bars and clubs but mainly just walked around.”
“What a surprise your best memory has Ethan in it, or is this about Liam?” Sydney rolled her eyes.
Taylor smirked in her direction. “No, it’s not about Ethan. Although some of my memories with him would no doubt make my top ten.” Taylor shifted her cold smile to me. “My favorite memory is about Liam. After everyone went back to their rooms, Liam and I stayed out. We walked the streets until the sun rose and talked about… everything. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so connected to someone. Ever.” Her eyes grew distant as she recalled another time and place. Then she refocused them and glanced around the room. “That’s my favorite memory. Shocking, huh?”
“I'd expected something about sex or shopping.” Chelsea teased, throwing a napkin at her. Taylor easily smacked it away and laughed.
“It’s Katie’s turn now. Tell us your favorite memory Katie. I bet Liam’s in it, too,” Taylor challenged.
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