The Keaton Series Boxed Set

by B. A. Wolfe

  What I wanted was for him to live his life, for me to live mine, and for us to pretend like everything was back to normal. The way it all should have played out originally.

  Nine

  IT HAD BEEN NEARLY THREE years since my brother left for college and there I was headed to Senior Prom. The past thirty-six months had been uneventful, but it was more than a guy like me could ask for; it meant I was healthy.

  “Are you sure about this, Jason?” my mom asked, standing in front of me in the family room.

  My trembling fingers fastened the last button on my vest. “Mom, stop worrying. I’m sure.”

  She stared at me with that motherly glare of hers. “Did you take your pills?”

  “Yes,” I groaned.

  Her hands flew in the air as if she were frustrated. “Jason, I’m just looking out for you. These pills have to be taken daily because of your transplant. I want you to be careful tonight. Take it easy.”

  This was getting ridiculous. “Mom, I know.” She reminded me daily. But I was good. I still had to take life easy, but I was Jason again. Normal seventeen-year-old Jason. “I’m going, okay? Not to mention, Anna wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  My mom helped as I struggled to get on the tight tuxedo coat. “I’m worried about Anna. She’s changing a lot,” she said, pressing out the wrinkles in my jacket.

  I rolled my eyes. “Tell me about it.”

  Anna’s grandparents had died in a car accident over a year ago when they were driving to Arizona, headed to their summer home. In turn, her family received all that belonged to them. Including a shit ton of cash and property. Little by little, Anna transformed from the sweet girl I started dating my freshman year of high school to someone I wasn’t sure I even knew anymore.

  “You don’t have to go, sweetie.” Mom swept her soft hand across my forehead, brushing back my messy curls.

  I pushed her fingers away and released a frustrated sigh. “Mom, I’m going. Plus, I’m already dressed.” I squared my shoulders and wiggled my brows. “How do I look?”

  She stepped back, gave me a once over, and chuckled. “Only you’d wear your cowboy boots with a tux.” She wiped the wetness from under her eye. “You look handsome. It’s perfect.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone.

  I glanced toward the mantel, where Dan’s prom picture used to sit. What killed me the most was that Mom and Dad had removed it the day after he left. As a freshman, I had stared at it, impatiently waiting to put mine next to his. Two brothers, side-by-side in tuxes and cowboy boots. He wore those things everywhere and so did I. We were brothers, we couldn’t help it. The only difference was Shay had made Dan wear a butt ugly turquoise colored vest. I refused. So, I was grateful when Anna decided on black and white.

  I grinned, knowing what I was about to do. “Take a picture for me? I wanna send it to Dan.”

  “Okay.” She released a long breath as she stole the phone from my outstretched hand, flipping it open. “Say cheese.”

  Did people still say that?

  I buried my hands in my pockets and gave the camera my best smile.

  “You look like such an adult dressed like this, Jason.” More tears flowed from her eyes as she handed my phone back to me.

  I would always be her baby. “I’m almost eighteen, Mom. According to Uncle Sam, I’ll be an adult soon.”

  “Don’t grow up too fast, okay?”

  “Sure, I’ll just slow down the aging process. No big deal,” I teased, but my gaze drifted to the floor. I would give anything to slow everything down. There wasn’t a cure for the disease I had. The kidney transplant helped, obviously, but it wasn’t enough. Something would falter this life I’d been given, and take it all away just as fast as it came on.

  “Have fun tonight, sweetie.”

  I tore my gaze from the carpet and looked at my mom, her lips were spread into a larger than life grin. “Thanks.”

  She handed me Anna’s corsage that she helped pick out. Bright pink flowers filled the plastic container I held in my sweaty palm. They were beautiful.

  “She’s going to love it. No worries tonight. Go have fun.” Her lips pressed to my cheek in a warm motherly kiss.

  “Don’t wait up.”

  She nodded and I strutted out the door, headed to my truck, and set the clear container on the passenger seat. “It’s going to be great,” I whispered to myself as I drove off.

  A few minutes later, I parked in front of Anna’s house, grabbed her corsage, and headed to her door. She answered almost instantly and I couldn’t stop smiling. She looked amazing in her black strapless dress with a white sash tied at the waist, the ends draping down the side.

  “You look beautiful, Anna,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled, her hands fixing the curls pulled up on her head.

  “You like the tux?” I asked, trying to get her attention. It was probably the only time I’d ever be in one. The thing was uncomfortable as heck.

  She took one quick glance and her half smile faltered. “What’s with the boots?”

  “Thought it was a nice touch.” Before she could say anything else, I pulled the flowers out of the container and reached for her arm.

  “What is that?” She yanked her hand toward her stomach, eying the roses like they were dead.

  I snickered. She had to be kidding. “Your corsage, silly.”

  Her eyes widened like saucers. “But it’s pink!”

  Only her favorite color. I’d known this forever. “You love pink. You’ve always loved pink.” I took it out of the box and slipped it over her stiff wrist.

  “Not anymore, Jason. That color is for little girls. I’m seventeen. You know that I hate pink. How could you? Now I’m supposed to wear this nasty thing around all night?” Her lips snarled in disgust as she investigated her wrist. “Would you hate me if I didn’t wear it?”

  Utterly crushed.

  I rubbed the back of my stiff neck, completely hurt. “Whatever you want, Anna. I’m sorry I didn’t get you a pretty enough corsage.”

  She tore it off her skin so fast I didn’t even have time to register the fact that she dropped it and the flowers were now on the floor. “Let’s go. We’re going to be late,” she snapped, her high heels smashing the pink roses on our way to the door.

  What happened to my Anna?

  An hour into the dance, I was exhausted. I two-stepped, and even tried my hand at a few non-country songs but truth be told, they weren’t my style. I was a country boy, and we country guys didn’t dance to that hip hop stuff. This whole prom thing wasn’t what I expected and I actually contemplated asking Anna if she wanted to head out early and go watch the stars in the back of my truck. But Anna would murder me for even mentioning the idea. So, I stayed, sitting alone on a bench as I had been for the past thirty minutes while Anna danced with her girlfriends. I thought prom would be this dance where you felt like you were under the star-filled sky, dancing the night away while staring into your girlfriend’s eyes. Instead, it felt like a scene from a club they’d have in Denver, which wasn’t me.

  Frustrated, I pressed my elbows into my knees, and hung my head in my hands. “This night sucks,” I mumbled to myself.

  “Well, if you’d ditch the bitch it wouldn’t.” My friend TJ’s voice rattled next to me.

  I actually had started calling him by his nickname, Moose, more and more. I’d never forget that day either. It was over spring break this year, both of us running from a moose in Estes Park as I tried to take a picture of the scenery. Needless to say, I got a great picture of TJ screaming.

  “Hey, Moose.” I turned my head, eying him and his lack of tux. “I still can’t believe Kasey let you wear that.” Sure, I’d worn my cowboy boots, but Moose didn’t even bother to look any different than he did at school.

  “Dude, I already told you, she don’t care what I’m wearin’. But I think we’re ready to leave. We came, we sa
w, we danced. We’re done.”

  Kasey was awesome and well, Moose was my best friend. The three of us hung out every weekend. It was only fitting they’d come together.

  “So . . . where’s that piece of crap you brought?” Moose nudged my shoulder.

  I always knew Moose hated Anna and I had never understood why. But lately, I’d gotten a good dose of the girl I think he saw.

  “Over there.” I nodded to the middle of the dance floor and watched my girlfriend sway her arms in the air. It was prom. It’s what we were supposed to do. Dance the night away. And Anna was having a blast. Could I blame her? No, I couldn’t. But that was only until a pair of large hands wrapped around her hips from behind.

  My heart slammed around in my chest and I stood hastily, watching those hands cradle my girlfriend’s waist. The waist I touched when I pulled her into me and kissed her forehead or lips. My waist. My girlfriend.

  “Dude!” Moose gasped, pointing to the scene on the dance floor. “I told you she’s a piece of shit.”

  “Shut it, Moose!” My lungs pumped fast and hard, my chest tightening at the sight. It was one of the guys from the baseball team. How could she?

  She was smiling, too. I didn’t know whether to walk over and punch the guy in the face, or leave and pretend nothing happened. But it was like a damn train wreck and I couldn’t stop watching them, his hands rubbing up and down her hips . . . up and down.

  “What do . . .?” I mumbled, trying to swallow down each nervous lump in my throat.

  “I know what I’d do, but honestly . . . she’s not worth it, man. Don’t do it,” Moose told me, as if he could read my mind.

  I was a gentleman not a fighter, but I knew if the girl was worth fighting for, those rules would fly out the window. I’d protect my girl, and take what was mine. But the fact that I had to think about what I wanted to do just proved what I already knew about Anna.

  She wasn’t worth the fight.

  “I-I’m outta here,” I said, my hands clenching at my sides.

  “Hell yeah!” Moose hollered. “I’ll get Kasey. We can go to the diner. Get some shakes or somethin’.”

  “I’ll meet you there.” I patted Moose on the back and then crossed the dance floor, weaving in and out of the sea of moving bodies. Spotting Anna, my body stiffened and I sucked in a shaky breath before I tapped on her bare shoulder.

  She twirled around and then instantly froze. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at me, realization dawning.

  I glanced down at the hands still gripping her waist, and then back up at her. “Is this who you really are? Because this one hurts, Anna.”

  She remained quiet, her lips pressing into a straight line while the other girls still danced around her as if I wasn’t even there.

  So many questions wanted to spew from my dry mouth, but as I looked at those hands again, I couldn’t even think of one. Scrubbing a hand roughly down my face, I told her the only thing that came to mind. “I’m leaving. I guess I don’t need to worry about you finding a ride home.”

  A small part of me, hell, all of me, hoped my words slapped her back to reality. Hoping she’d realize how wrong all of this was. But there wasn’t an ounce of remorse on her face. She simply nodded and spun back around, locking her hands that had been mine to hold for so long behind some other guy’s neck.

  I marched out of the high school gym, alone. I unclasped the rose pinned on my tux, let it hit the ground, and stomped on it. Just like she’d done with my corsage.

  Yeah, so much for a great night.

  ***

  “What’re you kids orderin’ tonight?” Our waitress, Sue, stood in front of the booth, my favorite booth to be exact. It sat toward the back of the diner and had the best view of the street.

  “I’ll have the usual,” I muttered, handing my menu back to Sue. I should’ve ordered a healthy meal, but tonight called for my favorite cheeseburger.

  “Strawberry shake for me,” Kasey told her. “I’ll steal Jason’s fries,” she added with a grin.

  Moose folded his menu and put on his megawatt smile. “Chocolate shake, burger, and fries for me. Thanks, Sue.”

  It wasn’t five minutes later that a familiar sound of giggles drew my attention toward the door. Waltzing in like they just had the time of their lives was Anna and her three best friends. Continuous laughter and chatter filled the almost empty diner. Not sure what to say or do, I released a frustrated exhale and averted my gaze, heart pounding.

  Kasey turned around and cleared her throat. “Do you want me to take her down?”

  “Hell, no. Why do you get the honors? I’m his best friend. I should do it,” Moose chimed in.

  Kasey chucked a sugar packet at Moose. “Because it’s wrong for a guy to hit a girl. And I’d love to slap her snotty ass face.”

  I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or get pissed that my friends were right about her. “Stop, you guys. No one is taking anyone down. Let’s just—”

  “Can we talk?” Anna’s high-pitched voice interrupted me.

  I stilled in the seat, unable to look at her. She left early anyway? Maybe my words had gotten to her. I wasn’t sure of anything, but the bottom line was that I had to know what she wanted.

  Nodding, I glanced at Moose and Kasey. “You two, stay. We’ll go somewhere else.” Moose and Kasey looked at me like I had sprouted an extra head in the past five seconds. What they didn’t know is that I didn’t want her and what was about to be said tainting my favorite booth in the diner. She’d already done enough damage for the night.

  So there we sat, awkward as hell a few booths down, staring at the shiny tabletop. My hands were sweaty as hell folded on my lap. Finally having had enough silence between us, I fought my anxiety and glanced up. It was the third sucker punch of the night. She was making hand gestures to her friends down the aisle.

  “What is it, Anna?” I asked, fed up. My fuse that was never short, was about a half-inch from exploding at the moment.

  “I’d like to say I’m sorry . . .” She took a deep breath and her eyes found mine. Eyes I always loved on me, but suddenly they just felt cold. “But I’m not, Jason. Everything is always about you. You have to watch what you eat, what you do, and never forget to take your pills. It’s like nothing is about me anymore. And well, I miss that.” I sat still as a statue, barely able to breathe as she tilted her head with a cross look. “You didn’t even dance with me at prom. You sat out. I mean, that was my prom. A time I’ll never get back.”

  This was insane. Was she being serious? “Anna, I took a break. That’s all,” I scoffed.

  Anna shook her head and huffed. “I’ve had enough of it, Jason. You’re no fun anymore.”

  The way she spoke about me, it was as if I was dying or already dead to her. And it wasn’t like I wanted her to treat me like I was sick, but my life was what it was. I still had to take care of myself and take things easy.

  “And here I thought you had wanted to apologize,” I muttered.

  Her finger darted to her chest. “Me? For what? I didn’t do anything wrong.” Of course she didn’t. Her lips smacked together. “Anyway, I think it’s obvious we’re pretty done, Jason. It was never going to last anyway.”

  As upsetting as her words were, I wasn’t completely blindsided. “It’s definitely obvious. Especially the moment some other guy had his arms around my girlfriend tonight . . ., “ I cleared my tightening throat, “ex-girlfriend, I guess.” I didn’t even know who this girl in front of me was. The same wide-eyed, simple girl I’d dated for almost four years was gone. It was like she died.

  She snickered. “You can’t be surprised.”

  First time all night she’d been right. “Oh, I’m not surprised about this,” I admitted. “What I am surprised about is this girl sitting in front of me.” I waved a hand through the air. “The old Anna, the sweet girl I loved, where’d she go?” My throat tightened worse as I thought back to the girl that carved her initial next to mine. The one who cared about a town legend. The
one that kissed me after she finished carving her A right beside my J. It was such a disappointment. I missed that girl.

  She threw her head back and really laughed this time, killing me even more. “That girl needs a real man. I’m going to college next year and I can’t wait around for you to figure out your life anymore. I’m done.”

  “I hope you find what you’re looking for.” All the things everyone else saw in her, I was finally witnessing myself.

  “Well, it’s not at this table anymore, is it?”

  Ouch. Remember, you’re a gentleman, Jason. My hands curled around the edges of the table. There was honestly nothing more that could be said. One day, she’d regret her callous words. As much as my stabbed heart wanted to spew a few words at her, I refrained. I didn’t want any regrets. I’d find a way to get over this on my own.

  “Hey, Jason. You forgot your shake.” Kasey stood in front of the booth as I was about to get up.

  I eyed the shake and then her. Kasey was there when I ordered, she knew what I got. “But I didn’t order one,” I said, confused.

  She palmed her chest. “Oh, you didn’t? This must be for you then, Anna.” Kasey’s hand hovered over Anna’s head before she slowly tipped the strawberry shake out. My gaze widened as pink ice cream coated Anna’s curls, her face, and then dripped all over her dress. “Pink is such a good color on you.” Kasey laughed.

  “How dare you!” she gasped.

  Pink really was her color. Just like I knew it was. With a smirk, I stood and walked away.

  “Moose dared me.” Kasey shrugged. “Now, he owes me twenty bucks!”

  “Kasey, I’ll pay you fifty. That was worth every dime I’ve got.” Moose headed our way, his boisterous laugh contagious. “You okay, man?” he asked, his hand landing on my shoulder.