by Rayne, Piper
“So, you’re going to Cali after this year?” she asks after a minute of silence, as though she had to work up the courage to speak the words out loud.
“Why do people keep asking me this? I told everyone I want a college coaching position. California would be nice, but I’m willing to go anywhere.”
“To get away from us?”
I drop the knife and look at her. She studies the island, her fingernail moving into the groves of our wooden countertop.
“I’m not getting away from anyone. I’ll come back for holidays and vacations.”
She nods.
“I know it’s upsetting—”
“Are you and Savannah locking up my money if I don’t go to college?”
Just when I thought the girl had a heart.
“You need to go to college.” I pick the knife back up and cut into a tomato.
“I don’t. There’s nothing there for me to learn.”
“We’ve been over this. It’s not all about learning, I mean, it is, but you need the experience and the education. You know how many kids can’t go because they can’t afford it? Here you have the money and you’re fighting us on it.” I drop the tomatoes in the salad, then I grab the onion since I need to do something with my hands.
“Kingston didn’t go.”
“And he’ll get his money at twenty-one.”
She blows out a breath. “Why do you and Savannah get to control everything?”
Savannah steps into the room, grocery bags hanging off each arm. “Because we’re the coolest Bailey kids.”
“Oh great, never mind.” Phoenix stands.
“What’s going on?” Savannah asks.
“Our youngest sister doesn’t want to go to college.”
Savannah drops the bags on the kitchen table, pulling out all the items I asked her to get. She shoots me her “we talked about this and you need to ease up on her” look. “Why are we talking about this now?”
“Ask her.” I point at Phoenix, who is already half out of the room.
“It’s not a huge deal. You make it sound like it’s some natural disaster if I don’t go to college.”
“I’m starting to think you should go into the army. Maybe a drill sergeant can get you in line.” I raise my voice, which I promise myself every time I won’t do. Letting my anger rule the conversation gets nowhere with Phoenix, but she tests the limits so much, even a priest would go ballistic on her.
“Oh nice. Send me off to war and maybe I’ll die just like Mom and Dad!”
My knife pauses mid-slice. Savannah holds a box of cornbread mix suspended in the air.
Savannah is the first to respond, in a kind gentle voice. “Phoenix.”
If my eyes were shut, I’d think my mom was standing ten feet away from me.
As always, Savannah shoots me that look, the one that suggests I’m the evil one.
“Never mind. I’m going out.”
“No, you’re not!” I call.
Savannah lets out a breath, places her arm over Phoenix’s shoulders, and sits her down on the breakfast stool. “Okay, give us a reason why you don’t want to go to college.”
Phoenix shrugs. “It’s a waste of money. I don’t know what I want to study. Nothing that can be taught at college is what I want to do.”
“What is it you want to do?” Savannah leads the conversation while I continue chopping.
Phoenix shrugs. I blow out a frustrated breath. Phoenix glances at me, rolling her eyes.
“Do you have any ideas? Ones maybe you don’t want to tell us?” Savannah asks.
Phoenix hesitates before speaking. “I was thinking if Austin was going to California for a job, maybe I’d go with him and pursue singing?” Her voice is so small, so unsure.
You’ve got to be kidding me. I look at Savannah, who nibbles on her lip.
“Singing? That’s what you want to do?” Savannah asks.
Phoenix nods.
“All right. Well, let us soak in this new information, and we can talk about it and come up with a plan.”
I stare at Savannah. She’s got to be kidding me. My life is finally about to start, and the most deviant of Bailey children wants to tag along? A girl who seems like she can’t stand to be in my presence most days? I might as well slap the words “Bodyguard” and “Missing Person Locator” on the back of my T-shirt.
“Austin, would you be willing to take me with you?” Phoenix asks.
“I don’t even know where I’m going to land yet. That takes priority. But if singing is what you want to pursue, we’ll talk.” I blow out a breath. “Just so you know, there are schools that let you study music.”
I throw it out there, but all three of us know that Phoenix wants to be an entertainer, not a classical musician. She wants to be the next big thing, complete with an entourage and adoring fans. I’ll say one thing about her—she’s always dreamed big. Even though she makes me nutty, I’m not sure I can be the one who crushes those dreams for her.
“I know,” she says, obviously unconvinced.
Savannah runs her hands through Phoenix’s hair. Our relationships with our siblings are such a tangled web between nurturing parents and older siblings. “Let’s talk about it after dinner.”
“Okay.” Phoenix nods.
This is the first time in the past year or so she’s seemed like the old Phoenix, and that gives me hope.
Savannah goes back to pulling groceries from the bags. “Phoenix, you might be on the cover of Rolling Stone one day, but our older brother is going to set the record for how many times he appears on Buzz Wheel.”
I continue mixing the salad, rolling my eyes.
“It was sweet,” Phoenix says.
“Did you see that Holly cried while you were singing?” Savannah eyes Phoenix, silently praising her for a great job.
“I also saw Austin cleaning up her face.” Her head falls to the side and she clasps her chest. “It was so adorable.”
I pick up a cucumber slice and throw it at her. “I’m going to hire a PI to figure out who the hell runs that blog.”
“Good luck with that.” Savannah raises both eyebrows, and the three of us get on with prepping dinner.
* * *
Not long after the first batch of cornbread is done baking, another sibling rises from the depths of the house. Rome saunters in, his dark hair sticking straight up on one side. He’s shirtless, with low-hanging pajama pants on, and looks to me as though he may still be drunk.
“Good afternoon,” I say.
“Damn, jet lag is kicking my ass.” He runs a hand down his stubbled face.
“Thanks for that whole speech yesterday about making dinner for everyone.” I stare at the meat I just finished placing on a platter to take out to the grill.
He laughs. “Shit. Well, I’m man enough to admit you probably make better ribs than me. I’ve been in Italy with pizza and pasta.”
Savannah pats his stomach as she walks by. “Too many carbs.”
Rome looks down, rubbing a circle around his flat stomach. “Hey now, that’s body-shaming.”
Savannah nods, rolling out more biscuit dough on the kitchen table. “Touché.”
Rome heads over to the coffee pot and fills a mug, a soft sigh escaping him after his first sip. He pats me on the back. “You make good coffee.”
“Thanks.”
“So.” He slides onto the stool across from me.
I’m working on skinning the potatoes for yet another salad. I loathe Sunday dinners at this point. I’m in the kitchen the whole fucking day. But Mom would be proud that we’ve kept up the tradition.
“So?” I ask when he says nothing further.
“I heard you and the principal are…” He makes a circle with his finger and puts his other finger through it.
“What are you, ten?”
He laughs.
“What did you do?” Savannah asks.
Rome swivels his stool to show Savannah, who laughs.
“Yep, Aus
tin is the hot news around here,” Savannah says.
“Yoohoo!” Grandma Dori’s voice rings from the front of the house.
“Grandma Dori!” Rome leaves his cup on the counter and heads out of the kitchen to greet our grandma.
They join us a minute later, Grandma’s arm linked in Rome’s and his loving eyes set on her.
“You’re way too thin,” she says to him.
Rome takes her bag from her and gently pulls out the pies she made.
“All they serve you is pea-sized portions over there.”
Rome smiles as if she’s his idol. “Well, I worked a lot, but”—he peeks under the foil of the pies—“I’m here to stay. I’m thinking about opening a restaurant.”
Silence envelops the kitchen as everyone stops what they’re doing.
Rome used his college education money for culinary school and to do apprenticeships throughout Europe. He hasn’t lived at home for years.
“Jeez, I thought after Austin’s announcement that he’s leaving, maybe you’d be excited to have me back.”
Grandma pinches his cheek. “Of course, we are.”
“Where are you getting the money?” I ask.
“Investors. I have people who think I’m worth investing in.” A proud smile splits his face.
“Rome,” Savannah sighs.
“You’d better get up a lot earlier than one o’clock on a Sunday,” I say.
Rome’s icy glare lands on me. He can’t argue that he’s ever been one for responsibility, and owning a restaurant is one hell of a responsibility. “Man, what a great fucking welcome home.”
Slap. Rome holds his arm, where I can see Grandma Dori’s handprint.
“Don’t come home using those words,” Grandma says sternly.
“Sorry,” he mumbles.
“Fine. We’ll talk about it later. Everyone out. I need to speak to Austin.”
Savannah looks at the biscuits and throws up her hands.
“I’ll do it.” Grandma Dori holds out her hand for the round cutter.
Savannah and Rome leave the room with clenched jaws and wide eyes in my direction.
“Leave that and come sit.” Grandma Dori pats the spot in front of her with floured hands.
I drop the potato and knife, wash my hands, and sit down at the table with her. She rolls the dough so much better than Savannah. Not that Savannah sucks, but Grandma Dori has made these biscuits a thousand times more than her.
“I read the Buzz Wheel. Did you?” Her eyes sparkle.
I say nothing, crossing my arms and leaning back in the chair.
“I loved the way she teared up with Phoenix, and then you staring down at her as the float passed by? So romantic.”
I’m laughing on the inside. Grandma wouldn’t think what we did after those pictures were taken was so romantic.
“Then the whipped cream, where you’re wiping it off her face so tenderly.” She looks at me. “You remind me of your grandpa.”
The heat pooling in my pants from remembering my night with Holly dissipates. Eww.
“Smooth move on the Ferris wheel. Waiting until you were up on top.”
“Thanks, Grandma. Good to know I’m making you proud.”
She smiles. “The women at the center couldn’t stop texting me this morning.”
“Texting?”
She frowns. “Yes, you know I’m not that old.”
I shrug. “I’m assuming that means I’m off the hook for taking her on a real date?”
Not like it matters. I plan on sneaking over there this week and storing a box of condoms at her house. I just have to figure out when I can get out of the city limits to buy a box. Or worse, steal some from my brother. Shit. What has my world come to?
I remember Holly’s red-rimmed eyes that day in the bathroom at school. She’s the reason I’ll drive my ass twenty miles.
“I understand why you’re heading to California but that girl…” She’s quiet for a moment, nodding to herself. “She would fit in with us. Here. In Lake Starlight.”
I can’t deny that I haven’t had the same thoughts, but this is my chance. I can’t forgo it because of some girl who’s going to fly out of town as fast as she flew in.
Eighteen
Holly
Fay walks into my office Monday morning, a smile on her face. Seems to me everyone thinks I’m Mary Poppins this morning, the way they’re all smiling at me with their eyes lit up.
“Today’s seniors coming in are Phoenix and Sedona Bailey. Do you want me to call Austin, or maybe pencil him in during fourth period? I didn’t know, since you said you wanted the parents to attend whenever possible.” She taps the tip of her pencil on her notepad as though she’ll need to write this down to remember it.
“Um…” I think for a moment. Austin in my office. Not a good idea. Especially after the Buzz Wheel article and the fact he hasn’t left my mind all weekend. I kind of hoped for a text last night saying he’s got the condoms and he’s ready to roll, but one never came. “See if he’s available, but if not, no worries. I’ll still keep my appointments with both girls.”
Fay tilts her head and smiles as if I just told her she’s getting paid by the board through retirement. “Okay.” She taps her pencil again and rises from the chair.
“Fay?”
She turns around before she reaches the door.
“Is there talk? I mean, are people…”
Fay rounds the chair and sits back down. “People are talking. This is the thing.” She looks behind her. “This town…” She glances over her shoulder again then stands and shuts the door before coming back over. “I’m sure you could tell on Founder’s Day that this town loves the Baileys. But Austin has always…” She blows out a breath. “I don’t want to take away from the other Bailey children, but when Austin returned home…”
Tears well in her eyes and she takes a moment to compose herself. “It was as though he saved everyone and helped us all put the pieces back together. You can imagine what an accident like that does to a town. The Baileys employ a lot of people around here. That, and all their charity work? They’re a driving force in our economy and social structure. Add on the fact that, though these people have money, they aren’t rich and snobby. They’re kind, generous people. Everyone knew Doris Bailey could run the company until they found someone to take over. Not that I want to downplay what Savannah has done over the years. But someone had to take care of those kids.”
She wipes a tear from her eye, and I grab a tissue for myself.
“But now he wants to leave, and although everyone understands, they’re sad to see him go. That’s where you come in.” She shoots me a small smile. “The reason you’re in Buzz Wheel is that you’re giving everyone the hope that Austin will fall for you and stay in Lake Starlight. Everyone thinks this is where he belongs. That he might be chasing a dream that’s already passed him by.”
“And what do you think?” I toss the tissue in the garbage bin beside my desk.
“I think Austin is an amazing young man with a lot more potential than being a high school teacher and coach. That’s not to say I don’t selfishly want him to stay here, but what this town doesn’t realize is that he’s not theirs for the keeping.”
I lean back in my chair, absorbing and cataloguing all the information I’ve obtained about the Baileys in the past week. I don’t like it, but it makes a little more sense why the town is treating us like some prince and princess. Could you imagine our wedding? Pfft. The whole town would probably come.
I cover my mouth. Did I really just think that?
“Thanks, Fay. I just wondered.”
“You know, he fought to take responsibility for those kids. His grandma and uncle were ready and willing to step up, but he fought them on it. Wanted to return home and raise them. Wanted them to be able to grow up in the family home with him as the patriarch. Not many twenty-one-year olds would do that.” She wipes her eyes again.
“No, they wouldn’t,” I say quietly.
She smiles and rises from the chair. “So, should I still see if he’s available?”
“Sure, let’s stick to the original plan.”
She smiles and tucks the pencil behind her ear. “You got it.”
* * *
“So, you want to be a travel writer?” I ask Sedona when she’s in my office. I flip through her file.
“Yes. My mother was one before she passed away.”
“I’m sure there’s no better way to see the world than to get paid to do it,” I say with a smile. It’s sweet that she wants to follow in her mom’s footsteps.
Sedona nods. “I don’t remember that much, but from what everyone tells me, she loved writing and seeing the world. Hence our names.”
I scrunch up my forehead. “What do you mean?”
Sedona seems like a sweet kid, but she still gives me the teenage “are you serious?” look. “Haven’t you noticed our names?” When I sit there with a blank expression, she carries on. “We’re all named after the cities we were… you know… conceived in.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and I feel heat in my own.
“Oh, no, I didn’t notice actually.” Now that I think about it, I wonder how I possibly missed it. “What about you and Phoenix? And the other set of twins?”
“Layovers.” She shrugs.
“Gotcha. Okay, well, getting back to business… I assume you’re going to major in journalism?”
She shrugs again. “Kind of.”
“What does ‘kind of’ mean? Do you have another major in mind?”
She’s looking at her lap and playing with her hands. “I want to go to college, but I was thinking of going in Europe.”
“Europe? Well, you could definitely do a study abroad program.”
“Yeah, well. You know Jamison?”
I rack my brain for who I’ve seen Sedona with in the halls. It’s hard, since I have yet to figure out any difference between Sedona and Phoenix. I once knew a set of twins where the one twin had a birth mark by her eye, so we called her Lisa with an I. But Sedona and Phoenix look exactly the same. They even style their hair alike.
