“We were picking up your presents,” Cody finally said, after it became glaringly obvious that Mason wasn’t going to answer me. He’d barely even looked at me.
“We didn’t steal them,” Bit announced. “We bought them.”
“Those can wait,” Shelby said. “First, we toast.” She handed out the glasses she’d filled with bourbon and held hers up high in front of her.
“Okay, so when I found out you were comin’ to stay with us, I was pretty pissed off about it honestly.” Everyone, except me, laughed. “I didn’t want to have to look after some prissy blond socialite type. I told Momma if you showed up with a dog in your purse that I was gonna kick your ass all over Slidell.” That, I did laugh at. The whole carrying a small dog in your purse thing was not a trend I understood, or followed. “I’m so glad you didn’t turn out to be like we expected,” Shelby said, sounding truly relieved. She raised her glass of bourbon even higher and said, “Here’s to good times, great friends, and not getting caught for stealing that damn cake!”
The room filled with laughter and the sounds of our glasses clinking against one another. Shelby threw her arm around me as we swallowed down the bourbon. I hugged Bit and thanked her for stealing me the greatest birthday cake ever. I hugged Cody and Logan, too, just because I didn’t want them to feel left out, and then I was face-to-face with Mason. He opened his arms; I stalled a moment before letting myself fall into them. “Happy Birthday, Cali girl,” he whispered, his lips dangerously close to my neck.
The room was suddenly silent. All eyes were on us, waiting to see what we would do next. I held on a second longer than I should have, listening to Mason breathe, memorizing the sound and taking in the feel of being close to him again.
“Thanks,” I murmured, feeling tears start in my eyes. The last thing I wanted was for Mason to see me cry. I let go and quickly turned my back to him so I could wipe my eyes without him seeing.
“Looks like somebody could use a refill,” Cody said, and held his hand out. I nodded and gave him a slight smile as I handed over my empty glass.
“Open your presents now,” Bit said, sounding a little less excited than she had earlier, but the mood of the entire room had sort of shifted. Nobody wants a person to cry on their birthday, even if they have a good reason.
I sat on the couch, and Logan brought over a large, colorful bag with thick twine handles and sat it in front of me.
“Y’all really didn’t have to get me anything,” I said.
“I love it when she says, y’all,” I heard Bit say. I smiled.
“Just open it, and quit trying to be all humble,” Shelby griped.
I dug into the bag and pulled out an object that felt familiar in my hands. My smile widened. I peeled away the layers of tissue paper and found one of the bottles of lotion I’d been admiring at a shop we’d been to earlier in the afternoon.
There were several more bottles in the bag, one was filled with chunky blue bath salt and smelled the way the world of commercial products wants you to believe the ocean smells. Truthfully, the ocean didn’t have that great of a scent. The next bottle held gardenia scented body wash, and the last was a candle that smelled of roses. It was in a diamond cut latch jar and had been my favorite one in the store.
“Thank you so much everybody. Today has been really great.”
“And we never would have known it was your birthday if it wasn’t for the chick with the weird bangs working the reservation desk giving you up,” Shelby smirked.
Cody handed me my glass back. “You’re welcome,” he said.
“Come have some cake,” Bit said, licking butter cream icing from her lips. “The top layer is strawberry.”
I was still full from dinner and didn’t feel like eating anything, but I went over and had a bite anyway. “It’s so good. Anybody else want some?” Bit asked.
“Always. I always want some,” Logan said, and smiled at Bit. I laughed, but Bit had either gotten use to the jokes Logan made about them not having sex, or that one had gone over her head, because she had no reaction.
“Alright, y’all. It’s been real, and it’s been fun. But now it’s time for me and Cody to have some real fun without you,” Shelby announced, shooing us toward the door.
“But I’m not done with my cake yet,” Bit complained.
“The cake has wheels, Bit. You can roll the whole damn thing to your own room,” Shelby said, and pushed the cart toward the door. “Okay, now you try,” she let go and instructed. Bit smirked, but took over and shoved the cake out of the room.
I laughed. “See y’all in the morning,” I said.
Then I caught a glimpse of something on the muted television in front of me that grabbed my attention. I reached out and turned up the volume.
“—body of a woman found in a Las Vegas hotel room yesterday morning has been identified as that of thirty-six-year-old Veronica Matheson. We have learned that Ms. Matheson was arrested and released within hours on a fifty-thousand-dollar bond after allegedly shooting William Parker, the Chief Financial Officer of one of the country’s largest investment firms, Manger Mutual, based in Malibu, California. Parker was shot in the head over two months ago and remains in a coma tonight. The city of Malibu has released the 911 recording from that night. The voice you are about to hear is Parker’s now eighteen-year-old daughter’s call for help. We do want to warn you, this content may be disturbing.”
I stood silent and still as the camera switched from the photo of Veronica to a photo of me and Olivia taken the night we graduated—before we’d left for the ceremony.
Olivia’s face had been cropped out, but I remembered her holding out her camera to take a picture of us. Her bubblegum pink lips were giving the camera a kiss while I gave a crooked smile, and had my eyebrows raised high. We were being silly. We’d spent the whole day together and had laughed about things that weren’t even funny—probably to keep from crying. So many people were upset about high school ending, and it was sad to some degree, but more than anything I was excited to find out what would come next for me. I never imagined it would be the woman my father was dating shooting him in the head.
Graduation night, I had dinner with my father and Veronica. It was my first time meeting her, and I didn’t bother trying to get to know her. I was actually a little bent that my dad had brought a stranger to celebrate one of my greatest accomplishments.
I’d cut the night short and met up with Olivia, a decision I now regret. If I’d stayed and talked to her, I may have been able to save him.
I didn’t need to hear the recording from that night; it was already on a loop in my head. Tears rolled down my face as I heard my own panicked voice pleading for help.
The first thing I heard was me screaming, and then the emergency operator say, “911. What’s your emergency?”
“He’s been shot! My father’s been shot in the head. He needs help now! Please hurry!”
The operator responded, asking questions, which were captioned on the screen. I didn’t listen to him, only my sob-filled answers, some of which were barely audible. “Daddy, daddy, daddy. Look at me Daddy. Don’t close your eyes,” I cried. “Please hurry!” I screamed. “There’s so much blood. There’s too much blood.”
I stared blankly ahead. Hearing the replay of that night was gut wrenching. I saw every detail in my mind, every moment. Every emotion was as clear as if it was happening at that instant. At the same time, it felt like I was outside of myself watching my memories, hearing someone else’s voice pleading for my father’s life.
“Oh my god, Kat…” Shelby gasped.
My secret was out. I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I felt the blood slip from my head, down to my feet. Dizzy and nauseated, I held onto Cody to keep from falling.
“I need to talk to Marion,” I muttered.
“You need to sit down,” Cody coaxed.
“I’m okay,” I lied. “I have to go.”
Shelby stared at me, dumbfounded. I could tell she regretted sendi
ng everyone away. Dealing with the hard stuff wasn’t Shelby’s specialty. She was the fun one, the one who had no worries. She was in over her head.
“Okay,” she finally said.
When I got to my room, my phone was ringing. I knew it was Marion. It was always Marion when my phone rang.
“How did she die?” I said into the phone, wiping tears from my face. Not missing a beat, Marion calmly said, “Early reports are speculating suicide, but it’ll be a few days before we know for sure.”
“I don’t want the whole world hearing about that night—hearing that recording. Now my face is out there. Anyone could recognize me. How did the media even get that picture? I haven’t spoken to Olivia since I left. I don’t want them questioning me, or to have strangers on the street recognize me and point or stare because they know personal, private information about my life.”
“My firm is working to squash the story as we speak. We’ll find out how they got the photo. Don’t worry; we’ll take care of it. Dana said you’re in New Orleans. Stay put. Lay low. I’ll call you when I know anything more.”
I was so grateful my dad had met her. It took so much off of me knowing that Marion was in his corner. “Thank you,” I said and hung up the phone.
By that time, Shelby and Cody had rounded up Bit and Logan and because I hadn’t locked my door, they were all standing in my suite. None of them looked like they knew what to say to me. I didn’t really know what to say to them either.
“Kat,” Bit stalled, her tone weepy.
“This—what’s happening right now, is why I didn’t tell you about my father so please stop looking at me like that. Please don’t feel sorry for me.”
“How could we not feel sorry about what happened to you?” Bit asked.
I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Thank you, but I just want things to go back to the way they were. Worrying about it, feeling sorry about it, talking about it isn’t going to change anything. So please, let’s just go back to normal. It’s easier for me that way.”
Nobody looked convinced.
“Okay,” I shrugged. “Five minutes. We talk about this for five minutes and then we let it go.”
“Why did that woman shoot your dad?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know. She and my dad were dating. They hadn’t been seeing each other long, so I didn’t know much about her.”
“Did you come to Slidell to hide from her?” Mason asked, standing in the doorway. Everyone turned to look at him. Hearing his voice caused my heart to pound in my throat.
“Sort of, I guess,” I answered without looking at him. “When Veronica bonded out of jail is when Marion decided to send me to Slidell.”
“So, who killed Veronica?” Cody asked.
“They think she killed herself.”
“What you said to Aunt Marion about your face being out there—do you really think someone might recognize you here?” Bit asked.
“I know there are higher priorities, probably no one here cares, but in Malibu, there were reporters lingering around the hospital and camped out in front of my house because of my dad’s job. If he didn’t work for Manger, his shooting probably wouldn’t have made the news at all. The media is dying to make his shooting about money; trying to find something scandalous. Now that I’m eighteen, they can do whatever they want. They can dig around in my past and tell the world private things about me if they want to. I just want them to leave us alone.”
“Well,” Shelby said. “There are plenty of things we could do to change your look so no one recognizes you.”
“You could change your name,” Logan offered.
“To what?” What did changing my name have to do with changing my look?
Cali,” Mason said.
I automatically smiled.
“Yeah, “Shelby said. “Cali Broussard. We could dye your hair dark and with your blue eyes and the way you’re dressing these days, they’ll be none the wiser.”
“I’d be honored, but hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“Are you leaving now?” Bit asked.
My eyes cut to Mason. I didn’t want to answer that question in front of him, but we’d both known from the beginning that I wouldn’t be in Louisiana forever.
“Not yet.”
“But soon though,” Shelby said, like it was a fact, interrupting the moment Mason and I were having.
“I think five minutes is up. Time to go back to normal,” I announced.
“Okay,” Shelby shrugged. “But I brought you this just in case.” She held out a tiny bottle of vodka she’d taken from the mini bar.
“Thanks.”
“Drink it in the bathtub or somethin’. Use your new potions—but promise to get one of us if you need anything.”
“Okay,” I said, and everyone left. Including Mason.
Chapter 28
Even though I wanted things to go back to normal, it was impossible to make it happen by sheer want. Truthfully, things hadn’t been normal for a while.
I cracked open the tiny bottle of vodka Shelby had given me and gulped down half. I breathed out hard as the liquid burned its way down my throat. I looked inside the gift bag my friends had given me, took out the rose scented candle, and held it close to my face, breathing in the scent before putting it back and taking out the bottle of chunky bath salt.
I carried the bottle to the bathroom, stripped off my clothes and threw them in a corner. I put on one of the four, plush hotel robes hanging in the linen closet and sat on the edge of the tub. I turned on the water and sprinkled in a few pieces of the chunky salt and watched as they dissolved, turning the water the most beautiful shade of blue.
The color reminded me of home, of my days at the pool with Olivia. Of waking to a view of the beach. Of overlooking the ocean as the sun rose or set. My home never felt so far away, like it was slipping from my memory.
The warmth of my tears covered my cheeks; I tasted the saltiness on my lips, and felt my body shake as I released the pain. Warped, aching noises forced their way out of me as I sobbed.
The sound of the water running quieted and then I felt his arms around me. I turned around and wrapped myself around Mason, clutching him as if I’d been drowning and he was saving me. He held me without a word until I let go.
I didn’t want to, because I knew my face was a mess, but he made me look at him. He cupped my face in his hands and wiped away my tears, compelling me to focus my eyes on him. I took off his hat and dropped it to the floor, smiling a little as my fingers slid into the slight waviness of his dark hair. He put his hand on my cheek and slowly moved his thumb across my mouth, staring soulfully into my eyes. Then he leaned down and pressed his mouth to mine, his warm breath hitting softly against my lips. My pulse raced as his tongue gently brushed across my parted lips before I opened my mouth to his.
Kissing Mason caused excitement to fire through my body, lighting up every nerve like a sparkler on the Fourth of July. I’d missed that feeling. I’d missed him. Us.
I took my hands out of his hair and helped him take off his shirt. He opened my robe and pulled me to him, holding my skin to his skin. I felt Mason’s heart thumping against his chest. His breaths were deep and hurried. I looked up at him and traced my fingers over his lips. I knew he would never admit it, but I could tell he was nervous. He slid his fingers between mine, and kissed me while easing us toward the bed.
I dropped my robe and lay down, pushing the covers away until I reached the coolness of the white sheet beneath them. As moonlight from the window next to us highlighted Mason’s silhouette, he finished undressing and then he and I melted into one another.
Chapter 29
It felt like I’d only been asleep ten minutes when I heard a knock at the door.
“Kat, open up,” Bit called.
“Hurry,” Shelby yelled.
Mason got out of bed, held a pillow in front of his lower region, and opened the door.
“Mmmm, somebody’s birthday wish came true
,” Shelby said out of the side of her mouth. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Bro,” Cody said, shielding his eyes. “Put on some pants,” he told Mason after getting a good look at his naked ass cheeks. Mason didn’t say anything, just climbed back in bed and covered up. Bit held her cell phone out for me. “It’s Aunt Marion. She’s been trying to call you.”
I took the phone and groggily answered, “Hello.”
“I’ve booked you a flight home from Louis Armstrong, the airport in New Orleans. It’s in two hours.”
“Two hours!”
“Your dad’s awake, Kat.” I popped up, clutching a blanket against my chest, so I didn’t flash the whole room. “Oh my god!” I gasped. “How is he? Is he talking? Is he okay?”
“Right now, he’s a little dazed. The doctor said he’ll need time to come back around. We’ll know more then.”
“Okay. Wow. I’ll see you soon, then,” I gushed and hung up.
“What’s going on?” Bit asked.
“My dad’s awake,” I announced. I looked at Mason. “Can you take me to the airport?”
“The New Orleans airport?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“When’s your flight?” Shelby asked.
“Two hours.”
“Two hours!” she barked. “That means you have to leave in, like, five minutes.”
“I know,” I said, yanking the sheet from the bed and wrapping it around me. “I’m gonna go get dressed.”
I went to the bathroom and quickly ran a brush through my hair, swished mouthwash and brushed my teeth. I threw on some clothes, carried an armful of my things to the living area, and dropped them onto the bed.
“Where’d Mason go?” I asked.
“His room, to get his keys,” Bit said.
I picked up my clothes off the bathroom floor and grabbed a couple towels to wrap up the bottles they’d given me for my birthday so they wouldn’t break during the flight.
“You know he’s gonna be heartbroken after you go, right?” Shelby asked me.
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