She’s wearing a cute red dress with thin straps and a hem that stops at her knee. Black wedge sandals make her appear taller than her five-foot-three frame. She’s an alluring mix of innocence and sexiness, and I’m drawn to her like a moth to a flame. My eyes don’t leave hers as I close the final gap between us. Her friends have stopped talking, and everyone is focused on me.
“You look beautiful,” I say, stopping directly in front of her. I don’t want to crowd her, but I’m also not going to let her run away before I’ve said my piece. “I owe you an apology. I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean it, but the thought of losing you forever is making me desperate.” Her friends are listening to every word, but I don’t care if the whole room hears. “One hour of your time. That’s all I’m asking for. One hour to explain some stuff. What do you say, Lana?” I peer into her captivating eyes.
Conflicting emotions flit across her features. “I … I can’t, Kal. I just can’t.” She moves to walk around me. What the hell? She won’t even speak to me? How the hell can I woo her if she won’t even talk to me?
I step in front of her, gently taking her arm. “Lana, I’m begging you. I’ll do anything. What will it take for you to hear me out?” I drop to my knees in front of her. “Please, honeybun.”
“Oh my God!” Her whole face turns puce. “What are you doing?” she hisses, her eyes quickly scanning the room. “Get up!”
“Will you agree to meet me if I do?”
“Yes! Just get up. Please. You’re drawing attention.”
I scramble to my feet, failing to keep the ginormous grin off my face.
“Kalvin? What are you doing?” a female voice asks from behind me, and my grin vanishes. A tanned arm slides around my waist as Shelby materializes at my side. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” Leaning up, she goes to plant a kiss on my cheek, but I step back as if she’s on fire, quickly removing her arm.
“Not now, Shelby. I’m in the middle of a private conversation.” I shoot her a furious look.
“You haven’t changed at all.” Lana harrumphs. “You’re unbelievable.”
“This is not how it looks. I swear.” My eyes are pleading. Then, I turn to face Shelby. “I told you we were finished, and I meant it. Run along now.” I refocus on Lana, dismayed to see such a familiar look on her face. I don’t care if I was rude. All I care about right now is the disbelieving girl in front of me.
“This is about you and me. No one else. I can explain everything.”
“Save your breath.” Lana’s mouth pulls into a firm line. “I’ve heard it all before. From you, from Faye. There is nothing left to say. I meant what I said earlier. Leave me alone.”
“Lana.” Her friend attempts to intervene. “Maybe you shou—”
“Liv. Don’t.” She flips her gaze up. “I know you mean well, but this is my decision. I’m calling it a night. I’ll see you Sunday.” She leans in, hugging her friend fleetingly.
“I’ll take you home,” I offer, desperation creeping into my tone.
“No thank you. I know how to take the bus.” She sidesteps me.
“I’ll come with,” Olivia says.
“Don’t be silly,” Lana replies. “Stay with Riley. I’m a big girl and well capable of making my own way back to our dorm. I’ll text you when I’m there.” She waves, before striding toward the exit.
I follow her, shoving people out of my way in my haste to keep close to her. “It’s not safe. Hate me all you want, but at least let me escort you home.”
She spins around. “I said no! Just leave me alone, Kal. Please, just stop this.”
A shadow falls over us. “Lana? Are you okay?”
I bite down hard on my lip, drawing blood. “Fuck off, Chase.”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” he coolly replies.
I notice Brett getting up, heading in this direction, and I subtly shake my head.
“I can give you a ride home, Lana. I only got here, and I haven’t had anything to drink,” Chase offers.
I put my face in his. “Not happening, douche. I’m taking her home.”
“Neither of you are taking me home,” Lana argues, her eyes burning with unconcealed anger. “I’m more than capable of looking after myself.” She glares at me, and then her gaze softens as she fixes her attention on douche features.
What da fuck?!
“Thanks for the offer, Chase, but I’m good.”
He cranks the charm to the max, sending her a blistering smile. “Honestly, it’s no problem, and I’d rather ensure you get home safely. I’ll only worry, otherwise.”
Yeah, I’m sure you will, asshole.
She worries her lower lip between her teeth. “Okay, if you’re sure I’m not putting you out.”
“What?” I explode. “Lana, what the hell?” I move closer to her. “I know you’re still pissed at me, but don’t do this. Don’t go with him. I’ll call an Uber for you, and you can wait with your friends until it arrives.”
“I’m not sure what I’ve done to offend you, Kennedy, but I assure you Lana is completely safe with me.” Chase lays it on thick. “The last thing I would do is hurt her.” He holds out his arm to Lana. “You ready?”
“Lana. Don’t.”
She loops her arm in his. “You don’t have a say in my life anymore, Kal. Goodnight.”
They walk off, leaving me with my mouth hanging open and my heart ripped to shreds. Screw this! I’m not letting her leave with him. I have only taken one step, when Brett moves in front of me, halting my progress. “What happened to not groveling or baiting her about Chase?”
“Not now.” I try to push past him, but he’s a stubborn prick, and he continues to block my path.
“This isn’t the way to win her back. You need to calm down and leave it until tomorrow. She is going with him, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it now.”
“Dammit!” I claw my hands through my hair as frustration kicks the shit out of my insides. I hate that Brett is right, but he is. There’s no point going after her. All it will do is give that dickhead further ammunition. If he was interested in her before, I’ve just made this an exciting challenge. God, I’m such an idiot.
Well, if he’s up to the challenge, then so am I.
Bring. It. On.
Chapter Nine
Lana
“I didn’t know you knew Kennedy?” Chase says once we reach his truck, opening the passenger door for me. I slide into the seat, buckling my seatbelt as I stall. I don’t want to lie but I don’t want to divulge the truth either. I like my anonymity on campus. Chase rounds the front of the truck and gets in his side. Sitting back, he looks at me expectantly.
“I used to know him when I was younger, but I haven’t seen him in ages, and I didn’t know he was attending UF until recently.” There’s no word of a lie in that statement.
Chase slowly turns the key, and the noisy engine rumbles to life. “I play football with his roomie, and we constantly butt heads. It appears Kennedy has taken a dislike to me because of it. We don’t even know one another, and I’d hate for that to get in the way of our … friendship.” He gives me a cheeky grin as he maneuvers the truck out onto the road.
He must think I’m an idiot if he believes I’ll fall for that load of baloney. If there’s bad blood between them, there’s a good reason. Kal doesn’t judge people without due cause. Sitting here now feels so disloyal, and I’m regretting my decision to accept a ride with Chase and wishing I hadn’t texted him my number last night. I’d been hesitant for a whole bunch of reasons, and I should have trusted my gut. I know I’ve hurt Kal again, but it’s for the best. I have to get him to see there’s no future for us.
Chase seems to be under the illusion I’m looking for more than friendship, even though I’ve previously attempted to set the record straight. “Look, Chase, you’re a nice guy, and
I’m grateful for the ride, but I’m not in the market for a boyfriend or a hook-up. I told you this last time. I barely even have time for friends, so it’s probably not worth it, especially if it causes issues for you with Kal or his roomie.”
“Kal?” His brows nudge up. “Ah, I see.”
“It’s not like that,” I explain. “We were best friends as kids. That’s all. Don’t go reading anything else into it.” All it would take is a quick Google search for Chase to figure out the connection between Kal and me, and then my cover will be well and truly blown. Call me selfish, but I like being able to walk around campus without insults being hurled at me every five seconds. It’s another justifiable reason for staying away from Kal. If people see the two of us together, it won’t take much to join the dots. I’m still receiving hate mail, even if it’s dwindling. Some people have long memories.
“If you say so.” He doesn’t sound appeased.
“So, this coffee you mentioned.” I give him my best smile, hoping to distract him from all thoughts of Kal. “I’m with the fam this weekend, but I have a free thirty minutes after classes end on Monday if you’ve time to meet up?” I have zero intention of meeting him, but he doesn’t need to know that. I just need to steer him off the subject of Kal before he puts things together.
His answering smile is capacious. “Perfect.” He pulls up alongside the curb in front of my building. “You sure you have to go home this weekend?”
“Yeah.” I open the truck door, hoping he’ll get the hint.
“Okay.” He says the word in an exaggerated fashion, and I’m praying he lets it drop. Thankfully he does. “I’ll text you about Monday.”
“Cool.” I smile at him as I jump down. “Thanks for the ride. Have a great weekend.”
“Take care, pretty lady.” He winks, and I keep the forced smile on my face.
Exhausted, I crawl into bed a short while later, nuzzling my pillow. I’m excited at going home tomorrow, like always, but that excitement is tinged in apprehension. I don’t know what to do about Kal, and I keep veering back and forth over the right decision, pulled in two different directions.
One part of me says I’ve made my bed and should stick with the program. It’s what my parents want. The other part of me—the one that’s never wanted it to be like this—thinks it’s time to follow my heart and do what I should have done all along.
No one will ever convince me that Kal is completely over my betrayal. I honestly don’t see how he could be. He might think he is, but deep down, it must sting. I nearly had him locked up for flip’s sake. That he still wants to speak to me is remarkable, let alone the fact he wants to start over. How I wish it were as simple as that. It is taking every scrap of willpower to resist throwing myself at him, and I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out. If he’s serious about not backing down, it’s only a matter of time before I cave. I’m enough of a pragmatist to accept that. I’m powerless to resist that boy’s charms and know I can’t ignore him forever.
How can I make him see I’m doing this for him?
I toss and turn, unable to fall asleep, so when Liv returns a couple of hours later, I’m still wide awake.
“You can turn the light on,” I mumble as she stumbles about in the dark room. “I can’t sleep.”
Her bedside lamp flickers on. “I’m not surprised.”
I hear the soft rustle of clothing and then the creak of wood as she climbs into bed. Unspoken words line the space between us, and I don’t have to be psychic to know she has stuff she wants to say. “Just say it,” I whisper, twisting my head around so I’m facing her. “I know you’ve got something on your mind.”
She angles her body so she’s facing me too. “I spoke with him after you left.”
“Thought you might.”
“I didn’t want to, but he can be very persuasive.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I gave him a hard time, and he took it. He said nothing is going on with that girl, and I believe him.”
“Even if that’s the truth, it doesn’t matter.”
“He’s not giving up, Lana, and to be honest, I don’t want him to.”
I sit bolt upright. “What the hell, Liv? Whose side are you on?”
She swings her bare legs out of the bed, leaning her elbows on her knees. “Yours. Always yours. I wasn’t there when all that stuff went down before, so I can’t comment on how he was back then, but I know what I see now. He means what he says. He misses you like crazy, and he cares about you.”
She eyeballs me. “Lana, most guys wouldn’t ever speak to you again let alone forgive you. He has. That’s huge in my book. I think you should meet him and listen to what he has to say. You two have so much history, isn’t it worth at least hearing him out?”
“You don’t understand, Liv. It will never just be a meeting. He has this invisible power over me, and if he turns on the charm, I don’t trust myself to stay strong.”
“Would it be so bad?”
I moan. “Liv, come on. You know why it would. I don’t think he can handle this.” That makes two of us. “I’ll have to drop out.” The thought has popped in my head on more than one occasion since Kal showed up.
“Don’t go making any rash decisions. It won’t come to that.”
I rest my head in my hands. “I’m scared, Liv. I’m afraid to meet him. What if I mess up and give the game away?”
“You didn’t hear the guy. He’s smitten and heartbroken, and I’d chop off my left tit to have a guy talk about me the way he talked about you. I know you’re worried, but you don’t know how he’ll react, and you’ll never know if you don’t at least listen to what he has to say. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for—”
“Enough. Okay, you win. I’ll think about meeting him, but that’s as much as I’m promising.”
“It’s a start,” she says gleefully, sliding back into bed.
“Please don’t tell me you’re a new signed-up member of the Kalvin Kennedy fan club,” I groan.
She chuckles. “The only fan club I’m a member of is the Lana Williams one.”
My mood perks up the instant the bus glides into Earleton. I disembark at the usual stop and make the rest of the journey on foot. The balmy air is still humid despite the early hour, so I remove my denim jacket and stuff it in my back pack. The ground is dry underfoot as I make my way along the narrow road that winds toward the lakefront. The air is slightly cooler under the center of trees, and I turn my face up to the sky, ingesting the sights and sounds as I walk. The lyrical chirping of birds elevates my mood further. Every step brings me closer to Hewson, and there’s a definite spring in my step now. I miss him so much when I’m at school, even if everything I’m doing is for him.
Arriving at the high wrought iron gate which leads to my grandparents’ vast estate, I punch in the security code on the wall-mounted keypad and step back as the gate opens. I emit a little gasp of surprise when I spot Jerome—my grandparents’ butler—waiting in a truck just inside the entrance. “There you are, Ms. Lana,” he greets me from the open driver’s side window. “Glorious morning.”
“It is indeed.”
“I was doing some early morning chores, and I thought you might like a ride up to the house.”
I already have the passenger door open. “Thanks so much. That was thoughtful of you.”
“Anytime, Ms. Lana. You know that.”
The silence is comfortable as we maneuver the long driveway. Acres and acres of manicured lawns surround us on both sides as we head toward the house. The property is bordered by a high wall at the front, but at the rear, tall oak trees line the space between the house and the private dock which juts out onto the beautiful lake. Except for my grandparents and their fuddy-duddy beliefs and frosty attitude, this place is like a little slice of heaven on earth.
I can see how M
om grew up so sheltered.
The house comes into view, and the truck eases smoothly onto the redbrick stone path leading to the front entrance. Two massive palm trees reside over a magnificent fountain occupying center stage. My grandparents’ house is quite traditional in style. Painted in white, it is a two-story house with six steps leading up to the mahogany-stained double doors. Three mammoth white columns buttress the porch giving a grandiose feel to the place. A massive wraparound terrace extends across the width of the house on both sides. With twelve bedrooms, fourteen bathrooms, six large reception areas, a library, two kitchens, and a fabulous pool and outdoor patio, it is a world away from the bungalow I grew up in. Not that the setting is all too unfamiliar. The Kennedy house in Wellesley was exquisite with every creature comfort known to man. I’m accustomed to being surrounded by wealth and excess.
I’m just not used to living in it.
Not that I’m complaining too much.
My grandparents took me, Mom, and Hewson in despite their misgivings.
I hop out of the truck, bounding up the steps as the front door slowly opens. Mom smiles at me, and the little boy in her arm gurgles happily. Every trace of anxiety lifts off my shoulders as I stare at him. Dropping my bag, I quickly close the distance, sweeping Hewson into my arms. “Hello, sweetheart.” I press my lips to his forehead. “Mommy really missed you.”
Chapter Ten
Kalvin
I’ve a mad case of déjà vu. I’m in the same diner as last week, at virtually the same time, with the same girl sitting across from me. I texted Shelby a couple hours ago asking her to meet me here. I’m not sure what last night was about, but I need to make things abundantly clear to her. Other girls are a red flag for Lana, and I’m fucked if I’m going to let Shelby ruin things for me. While I don’t intend to confirm who Lana is—I’m guessing she wants to keep her real identity a secret—I need to convey how much she means to me so Shelby understands there’s no prospect, whatsoever, of us hooking up or even hanging out ever again. I won’t do anything to jeopardize my chances with the girl I love.
Loving Kalvin (The Kennedy Boys Book 4) Page 8
