“Yeah,” his voice softens as understanding fills his eyes, “it does.” He reaches out and wraps his larger hand around mine before giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry about all this bullshit you’re going through. I had assumed you were cool with it.” He jerks his shoulders. “You seemed, I don’t know…happy.”
Air leaks from my lungs. He’s not wrong about that. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been content. But still…
In the back of my brain, the knowledge that we’ve been forced into this relationship eats away at me. And no matter what I do, it refuses to go away.
“I worry about the future. We’re only eighteen years old. For goodness’ sake, we’re still in high school! A lot can change over the next couple of years. I don’t want to be stuck with someone for the rest of my life who doesn’t want me.”
“I didn’t think about it like that.” His hand tightens around mine. “Who knows, maybe it would be for the best if they can find a way out of this stupid contract.” He drags a hand down his face. “Fuck, Summer. I don’t know how to make anything better. All I know is that it’s a mess.”
I sputter out a laugh. Leave it to Austin to sum up the situation perfectly. “You got that right.”
A heavy silence stretches between us before he clears his throat, drawing my attention to him. “Does Kingsley know what’s going on?”
I shake my head.
His lips flatten into a tight line. “If Mom and Dad find a way out of this contract and Kingsley discovers that you knew about it, he’ll go ape shit.”
Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m afraid of. Austin’s confirmation only makes my pulse skitter as a fresh wave of anxiety crashes over me.
“I know,” I whisper, barely able to force out the admittance before worrying my lower lip with my teeth. “Why does everything have to be so complicated?”
A soft puff of air escapes from his lips. “You realize everything has been a massive clusterfuck since Grandma Rose kicked the bucket, right?”
How could I not?
Rather ironically, she had zero involvement in our lives when she was alive. Now that she’s dead, she’s a specter that refuses to be banished. It’s a cosmic joke of epic proportions. Except no one’s laughing.
“Yup, I have.”
“Fucking Grandma Rose,” he mumbles with a shake of his head.
The sentiment has my lips quirking. Sometimes I wonder if her last dying wish had been to turn our lives upside down.
“Guess we better get this show on the road,” Austin says with a quick glance in my direction. “You ready to do this?”
I jerk my head into a nod. It wasn’t so long ago that I dreaded walking through the doors of Hawthorne Prep. Today, that’s not the case. Those first few weeks were a nightmare. There is no way I could have survived the entire year under those stressful conditions. And my brother would have most certainly got his ass expelled.
After we exit the Mercedes, Austin clicks the locks before tossing me the keys. Since he stays after for football practice, I usually drive home by myself. For the last two weeks, he’s been catching a ride with Kingsley. I wouldn’t exactly say they’ve become friends, but we’re neighbors and our families are now locked in an agreement, so I guess it behooves both to make the best of the situation.
“Thanks.” I slip the key chain into my backpack before hoisting the strap over my shoulder.
“Summer,” a female voice calls out, “wait up!”
I swing around only to find Everly jogging through the parking lot to reach us. Her long auburn hair bounces around her shoulders, glinting in the sunlight. Guys turn, watching as she moves seamlessly through the crowd.
“Hi!” I greet as she falls in line with us.
Other than Kingsley, no one has gone out of their way to be welcoming. I have no idea if that has to do with us being Hawthornes or if this is the special treatment all new residents are subjected to. What I do know is that it’s nice to have a girlfriend again. Especially after contending with Sloane and her cohorts.
Austin jerks his chin at the pretty redhead in acknowledgment. “Hey.”
From beneath my lashes, I watch Austin for telltale signs of interest. My brother isn’t a long-haul type of guy. And I’ve lost more than my fair share of girlfriends over the years because of him. Or maybe they were never my friends to begin with. I’m hoping that won’t be the case with Everly.
When I don’t pick up any I’d-like-to-get-in-your-pants vibes from Austin, I glance at Everly and am pleasantly surprised to discover the same amount of disinterest radiating from her.
“Hi,” she says with a smile, promptly dismissing him as we walk up the wide stone steps to the front entrance.