by Amity Hope
Beth pushed a smile onto her face. She was clenching the long, serrated knife in her hand. “Landon, darling,” she said. Reece grabbed a couple slices of bread and made a run for it. “I would like for you to tell me…Whose house is this? Who decides the rules around here? Who makes the decisions? Because I seem to be under the mistaken impression this is a marriage, not a dictatorship,” she said as Reece reached the bottom of the stairs.
Chapter 11
“You look exhausted,” Emma chastised as Cleo slumped into her front seat.
This wasn’t news to her so she just nodded. She looked terrible. She knew it. There wasn’t a whole lot she could do about it. Make-up only went so far.
Emma gave her a sympathetic look and then backed out of the driveway. “You need to tell him the truth.”
She felt herself blanch. “I can’t. Too risky.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know that. I bet my nail polish collection that you two could work this out if you would just talk to him. I don’t think there’s anything Reece wouldn’t do for you.”
She just shrugged. She knew Emma was right. Maybe. She just couldn’t take the small risk of her being wrong. And she could be wrong. There was a time when Cleo knew Reece would do anything for her or give anything to her. But now, she wouldn’t blame him if he hated her for how she’d handled things. Even if she did have a reason for what she had done. “He’s with Mia now.”
Emma gave her a searing look. “Uh-huh. Just ask Lauren how well that’s going,” she advised.
“What? Why?” Cleo demanded.
“She told me one night they were all over at Adam’s and Mia made a comment about you,” she gave Cleo a pointed look, “I don’t know what so don’t even ask. It’s not important. Anyhow, Reece pretty much tore her apart over it. They barely talked the rest of the night. Actually, she said that happens a lot. Them fighting about you, I mean.”
Cleo’s stomach flipped over unpleasantly. She knew Emma was only trying to help. But the thought of Reece and Mia talking about her in any way made her feel a little sick. Then again, the thought of Reece and Mia at all made her a lot sick.
“Mia’s obviously nothing but a rebound. It’s not going to last,” Emma said confidently.
Cleo shook her head at her. They’d had this conversation multiple times already. “It’s already lasted three months.” An unbelievably long time, as far as Mia’s track record went.
“You know what I think? I think,” Emma said before Cleo could say anything, “that Reece is going out with Mia because he’s too nice to go out with anyone else.”
“What does that mean?” Cleo asked.
“I think because of Ethan, he thought he needed to be with someone too. But it wouldn’t be fair for him to be with someone he could hurt. We both know Mia’s been after him a long time. His family has more money than anyone else’s in this crappy town. Including hers. I think it’s a status thing for her. Reece probably knows it too. There’s no doubt he’s still hung up on you.” She shrugged. “I really don’t think he’d go out with anyone if he thought they were really into him. When he so obviously still wants to be with you.”
“Oh,” was all Cleo could think to say because she wasn’t sure she agreed. Mia obviously appealed to a lot of guys. It would only make sense that Reece had suddenly become interested in her, too.
“I really don’t mind giving you a ride. Especially since the library is only a few blocks from where you’re going today. But I think you should have let him drive you,” Emma said, yet again.
Cleo shook her head. Not after the loud, embarrassing fit Mia had thrown yesterday when she and Reece had gotten back to school. They’d made the mistake of walking in the doors together. Mia must’ve either skipped or ducked out of class early because she was standing there waiting, just minutes before the bell rang. Cleo had to admit part of her didn’t blame Mia for being mad. Cleo would probably not have been real happy if she and Reece were together and he’d run off with Mia. The thing was, Cleo knew she trusted him enough that she never would have made an issue of it. She also would have used some discretion. There was no reason to be sure the whole school heard about it. Cleo didn’t have any intention of putting him through that again. Or herself.
“Riding with him yesterday was a bad idea. One I’m not going to repeat,” she firmly told her best friend.
“I don’t think Reece would mind,” Emma needled.
“Not the point,” Cleo tossed back. Her nose was beginning to prickle and her eyes were beginning to burn. She couldn’t think about Reece right then. She just couldn’t. Not unless she wanted to lose it right there in Emma’s car. She knew Emma wouldn’t mind. Or blame her. But she was so tired of feeling this way all of the time. She just needed to move on to something else. “Ethan told me to tell you ‘hi’,” she said. “He’s coming home in two weeks.”
Emma snorted. “It’s so weird that you talk to my brother more than I do. He never calls me.”
“You could call him,” Cleo pointed out.
“Why would I want to do that?” Emma asked with a wrinkled up nose.
Cleo shook her head, exasperated. “I have no idea. But enough about me, let’s talk about you. Any progress with Gavin?”
Cleo knew there hadn’t been. Emma would have told her about it immediately if there was. Emma had begun shamelessly flirting with him last spring. The boy seemed completely oblivious. This had Emma in a bit of a tizzy over him because usually, just a little bit of flirting was all it took to get who she wanted. Therefore, Gavin’s apparent disinterest had her feeling a little flustered.
“No,” she said with a pout. “Short of literally falling at his feet, I don’t know what to do to get him to notice me.”
“I don’t think you need to do anything that drastic. How about,” Cleo teased, “you just ask him out? That might work.”
She crinkled up her face. “I want him to ask me out.”
“I know you do, Em. But worst case scenario? You ask him out, he says no. Then at least you know the boy is an idiot and not worth your time. You can move on. But honestly, I think he’ll say yes.” It was the truth. Cleo loved Emma and she couldn’t imagine anyone else not loving her. “I mean, why wouldn’t he? You’re fun, you’re sweet, you’re—”
“If you say ‘cute’, I’m kicking you out of my car,” Emma threatened.
She was cute. At barely over five feet tall, with big brown eyes, a flawless complexion and her bright auburn hair in a pixie cut, cute was a completely accurate description of her.
Cleo improvised. “You’re adorable.”
She got a good-natured glare for her opinion.
“If he doesn’t see you that way, it’s definitely his loss. But I think he would. I’m sure he’s not going out with anyone. Has he ever gone out with anyone?” Cleo asked.
“Not that I know of,” Emma sighed.
Gavin was quiet and Emma wasn’t usually interested in quiet and shy. Cleo never would’ve guessed he’d be Emma’s type but who was she to judge? The heart wants what it wants sometimes.
“Soooo,” she began, “if he has no experience dating, he probably has no experience asking someone out. In fact, your flirting seems to go right over his head. I don’t think he really gets what’s going on,” she said, unable to hide her amusement. She had seen Emma’s efforts. Gavin seemed embarrassingly clueless in her attempts to win him over. “I think you should just go for it.”
She was quiet and Cleo could see that she was debating.
“Seriously, I don’t think he’s even aware that feminine wiles exist, let alone that you’ve been trying to use them on him,” Cleo pressed.
Emma pursed her lips as she continued to drive. They were only a few blocks from where Cleo needed to be.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” she agreed.
“Awesome,” Cleo said with a grin.
“Just not yet.”
Cleo groaned. “Emma…”
“These things take time!” she stubbornly told he
r.
“You’re right,” Cleo said. “Just let me know when you’re ready. I’ll be there to say ‘I told you so’ when he says yes.”
Emma grinned at her and shook her head. “You sure you have a ride back to school?”
“Yeah, Janna said I could ride with her. I just didn’t want to ask her to pick me up because she comes to town from the other direction,” Cleo explained.
“Okay, see you later.”
“See ya,” Cleo said as she opened the door and slid out.
It looked like she was the last of the class to arrive. Reece was already chatting with Janna’s partner, Liam. Cleo gave them a quick wave and headed over to Janna.
“Ugh,” Janna moaned, “when I signed up for this, I wasn’t thinking how cold it would be in the mornings.”
“I know,” Cleo admitted. She had worn a jacket but she could’ve used a pair of gloves too. The problem was, this time of year it would warm up in no time so it was hard to dress appropriately. “But luckily this assignment only lasts a few more weeks.”
They chatted about what their other options would be for the class. What they’d like to do and what they absolutely did not want to do. They both agreed ditch clean up was at the bottom of their lists. Even after the nursing home kitchen.
“You know,” she finally said, “it seems like fate you got paired with Reece.”
“Fate? Feels more like bad luck,” Cleo grumbled.
Janna laughed. “I don’t believe that for a second. And what I really don’t get is why you asked me for a ride back to school when you could be riding back with him.”
“Um,” Cleo said, “did you not hear about Mia’s tirade yesterday?”
Janna shrugged. “I was right behind you. I witnessed it. Maybe it’s about time she learned the world doesn’t revolve around her.”
Cleo had nothing to say to that.
“And from the way Reece keeps looking at you,” Janna said with a smug smile, “Reece’s world for sure doesn’t revolve around her.”
***
Reece was in a horrible mood. Not only did Cleo refuse to ride with him, she seemed to be going out of her way trying to avoid him. He wasn’t at all surprised to see Emma drop her off. Then she headed straight to Janna after barely glancing his way.
So much for their conversation yesterday. She had said they could be friends. He wasn’t expecting a lot to come of it, but not feeling like she was avoiding him would have been nice.
He sure wished it were as easy for him to pretend there had never been anything between them.
He knew it was pointless but he really wanted to talk to her about the conversation he’d had with his mom. She’d get how relieved he was to know his mom was on his side. To know that everything was now, finally out in the open with his dad. She’d understand his frustration with him about school. But he also knew she’d be happy that his mom didn’t feel the same way.
He finally had approval to do what he wanted with his life.
When Mia had called last night, he’d tried telling her. She’d cut him off almost immediately, making it entirely clear that she was bored. She did not want to hear about his parents. He knew he was an idiot for even trying to talk to her.
Instead, they had a mind-numbing discussion about whether or not she should go blonder the next time she got highlights.
He tossed his rake down next to his pile of leaves and headed off to get a bag for them. Janna beat him to the box that was next to the supplies.
“You two are so funny,” Janna told him with a smirk.
“Who?”
“You and Cleo,” she told him.
He scoffed, not real happy anyone found his trashed heart amusing. “Right.”
“No, I mean it. The way you two keep taking turns checking each other out,” she said with a giggle.
“I do not—”
“Oh, yes you do!” she said as she cut him off with a laugh. “But so does she. It’s like you two are in the middle of a tennis match. Only it’s in super slow motion. And there are no rackets. Or balls. You just use your eyes.” She started laughing again. Reece didn’t find any humor in her words. “I think it’s cute.” Then she glanced over his shoulder and nodded her head to where Cleo was standing. “Don’t believe me…?” she taunted.
Reece whipped his head around and…unbelievable. Cleo was looking at him. Only…her eyes had to scoot their way upward to finally meet his.
Was Cleo—
The way she spun around so fast her hair swirled around her confirmed it.
Janna smacked his shoulder. “Told ya. And it happens all the time. At least as much as you check her out. Maybe even more,” she joked.
Or at least he assumed she was joking.
He opened his mouth to…He wasn’t even sure. Protest? Ask more about Cleo? But she cut him off.
“Don’t worry,” she said with an exaggerated eye roll. “I won’t tell anyone. Wouldn’t want it getting back to your girlfriend. No offense, but she’s hateful enough already.” With that, she walked off.
Reece spent the rest of the hour casually trying to catch Cleo in the act, so to speak. At first, it was apparent she was going out of her way to not even face his direction. So of course that gave him the opportunity to let his eyes wander all over her.
He groaned. Janna was right. He did look at Cleo. A lot. More than he had even realized. And he had a girlfriend. Which, he realized, made it a really crappy thing to be doing.
Supposedly, he had moved on.
Just like she had. Right?
So what the hell was that all about? She refused to ride with him. She went out of her way not to talk to him. She made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. So he really almost wished she’d stop looking at him. Almost. Mostly, he was glad. Because maybe he wasn’t the only one that was confused and didn’t know what the hell was really going on between them. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became.
When he finally caught her looking at him again, he gave her a raised eyebrows, What the hell? kind of look. Her face become completely impassive and she turned back around. He’d had enough of that.
He was mad, bordering on furious when she disappeared around the corner of the house. Probably to work on the side yard. Or more likely? He thought she was probably just trying to get away from him. Which really pissed him off. They should at least be able to work together. They just barely had one week of the year behind them. At this rate it was going to be a long, long senior year. This going out of her way to avoid him was bullshit and he was sick of it.
As he headed over to the side yard too, he knew he was being an ass. He had every intention of being one. He wanted to throw her off balance. If even just a little. Just like she was always doing to him. He planned on saying something snide in her ear.
She didn’t hear him coming. Her rake was on the ground at her feet. She had her hands on her hips. He couldn’t see her face. He had no idea what she was doing. What she was thinking. What she was looking at. It looked like she was just standing there. He was sure the only reason she’d come back here was to get away from him. Because she didn’t want to be where he was.
As he snuck up behind her, he put his arms around her waist. A nasty comment was lingering on the tip of his tongue.
He was expecting her to jump. To push him away. He was completely unprepared for the way her breath hitched a little and she leaned back into him. Melted into him really, like all she’s been waiting for all this time was for him to be there for her. She never even looked back to see who it was. She just knew. His arms tightened around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his, hugging them to her.
If he thought he was going to throw her off balance, he was wrong. She may as well have just tossed him off a cliff because suddenly he felt like he was freefalling. And for the first time in months, not in a bad way.
The remarks he had been so carefully, callously, constructing splintered off into a million pieces never leaving his lips. I
nstead, without meaning to, he rested his cheek against hers. He knew he shouldn’t but he couldn’t help it. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame and he had no doubt that he was going to get burned again.
“Reece, what the hell?” she finally snapped as she peeled her body away from his. It was painful, as if he could physically feel her being torn away. Again. She turned to face him and there was fire in her eyes. He knew he was going to get burned. He knew this and yet…He couldn’t have stopped himself, even if he’d wanted to. She gave his chest a shove.
“You can’t do that!” she said. Her bottom lip was quivering. Her words were like liquid fire scalding his heart as she stormed off.
“I told you so,” came Janna’s haughty voice.
Where had she come from?
Reece stared at Cleo’s retreating back. He wondered if she’d bolted because she’d seen Janna. Or if she would’ve run off anyway.
There was no mistaking that when she had her guard down for those few seconds that she felt something. He didn’t know what, exactly, that something was but it sure as hell beat the feeling of absolute nothingness he’d been getting from her. It may have been just a flicker but something was there. And that little bit of something, after all of this time? He wasn’t willing to let it go.
He didn’t know what to make of what just happened. He had no idea.
But what he did know?
He needed to break up with Mia. Even if he wasn’t with Cleo, his head was. He didn’t think there was going to be anything that would change that anytime soon.
Chapter 12
Mia’s hands were all over him. And even though the door to Mel’s bedroom was locked he could hear the crowd of people outside, the music pounding, and it just felt wrong. It wasn’t that he was worried anyone would walk in. Or even worried that anyone knew that they were in there. As far as he could tell, people were too wrapped up in themselves to notice or care that he and Mia had snuck off.
The problem was that he had asked her to come back to Mel’s bedroom for a reason that was not this.
“Mia,” he said as he caught her hands in his. She’d had them on the button of his jeans. “Stop. I’ve been trying to talk to you all night.” It was true. After the game she’d caught a ride with Natalie. He had tried talking to her outside but there were too many people.
