“Totally not necessary,” Drew mutters, his fingers digging into my flesh.
This is just so weird. No one seems to like each other and there’s this undercurrent of electricity flowing between all four of us that’s downright painful. I saw a bit of affection between Drew and his dad but other than that, everyone’s wary and full of distrust. It’s like they all say stuff but mean something completely different.
Creepy different.
For a fleeting moment, I’m tempted to grab Drew’s hand and drag him out of here. The vibe in this place is that bad.
But I don’t.
“You’re staying in the guest house for the week. I had both bedrooms cleaned and made up for the two of you,” his dad is saying, drawing my attention since Adele is trying to interrupt him.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate,” Adele blurts, clamping her lips shut. Her disapproval is clear.
Drew’s dad rolls his eyes. “He’s twenty-freaking-one years old, Adele. Let’s give them a little privacy.”
Huh. So the stepmom doesn’t want us fornicating for fear we’ll be struck dead by some all-knowing God and the dad is encouraging us to get it on by allowing a private sanctuary for us to escape to.
This is all just so freaking weird.
“Thanks, Dad. The guest house will work out great.” The relief in Drew’s voice is clear and I must confess, I’m relieved too. I don’t want to stay in this house with these people. They don’t seem to like me much.
Well, one acts like he might like me too much, and the other doesn’t want to hardly look at me at all.
“I’m sure you both need to rest.” His dad winks at him. Winks at him and then slaps Drew on the back, sending him a step forward with the force of it, taking me along as well. “Meet us in the breakfast nook by eight a.m. Maria is making her famous omelets.”
They have a cook. I’m totally blown away. There’s too much money flowing around here and every one of them seem miserable or brittle or so damn fake, how can they be happy? I always believed money could buy me happiness. I’m counting on that wad of cash sitting in my checking account to make Owen and I happy for at least a solid three months, though I know that’s pushing it.
I’m starting to realize money doesn’t buy happiness at all. And there I go again. I’m another walking, talking cliché.
Drew
The second we walk into the guesthouse, I exhale a huge sigh of relief, thankful to be out of that stifling house where I grew up. I still can’t believe how Adele acted toward me, like a jealous girlfriend ready to sink her claws into Fable. Calling her my little Fable, what the hell?
And my dad blatantly checked her out. It made my skin fucking crawl and I’m not the one who got the once over. This is far worse than I thought it would be and I’m embarrassed.
Maybe we should leave. Maybe I should put Fable on a bus and send her back home so I don’t have to subject her to this any longer. It’s awful and I don’t want to put her through it. I’ll even let her keep the money.
“Your parents are freaks.”
Her sweet voice insulting the people who raised me shocks me so much I start to laugh. And once I start, I can’t seem to stop. It feels good. When had I last laughed like this? I can’t remember.
“Are you laughing because I’m telling the truth, or because it’s better to laugh than yell at me for knocking your parents?” Fable sounds a little nervous, but I detect amusement in her tone too.
“You’re brutally honest and I appreciate it,” I finally say once I find my voice again. “And I agree. They are freaks.”
“It was so tense in there. I don’t get it.” She glances around the guesthouse. With its open floor plan and near identical wall of windows facing the ocean like the living room in the main house, it’s still impressive, but on a less grander scale. A lot more comfortable in here, doesn’t give off that ‘look but don’t touch’ vibe. “Oh, you have a deck outside. I want to check it out.”
I watch her slip through living area, heading toward the door, which she unlocks and opens without hesitation. I follow her, curious to hear more of her observations of my freaky family and I slip outside onto the deck.
She’s already leaning against the railing facing the ocean, the wind blowing through her long pale hair. She reaches into the pocket of her thin black coat and pulls out a single cigarette and a lighter, her expression full of embarrassment. “I’ve pretty much broke the habit I swear, but I like to carry a few cigs with me in case of an emergency.”
“And what happened in there is considered an emergency?”
Fable flashes me a quick smile before she cups her hand around the lighter and flicks it once, twice. Three times before it finally ignites. The cigarette dangles from between her lips and she brings the lighter to the tip, taking a drag and causing it to light. “Oh my God, totally.” She blows out a stream of smoke over the railing and the little gray cloud hovers in the darkness before it slowly disappears. “Your dad…I think he was checking me out.”
“He was,” I agree, my voice low. “I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault.” She waves her hand, as if waving away what my dad did.
“I brought you here. Technically it’s my fault.”
Another wave of her hand as she dismisses my words. “I don’t look at it that way. I’ll just say this. Next time you bring a fake girlfriend, maybe you should prepare her a little better.”
I chuckle. There’s no way I’m bringing another pretend girlfriend here again. If I had my way, I’d never come back. I don’t care how beautiful this place is. I hate it. This house is like a prison to me.
“Can I ask you a super personal question?”
A ragged breath escapes me. Girls—more like Fable—and their super personal questions are going to be the death of me. “Go for it.” I have nothing to hide.
Bullshit. I have so much to hide it scares me.
“Drew…are you gay?”
Holy hell. Why does everyone think this?
Fable
I wait breathlessly for his answer. The air is frigid, the wind whipping around chilling me to my very bones. I’m blaming the sudden inhalation of nicotine for my way too brash question. I could’ve waited at least a day or two, right? Hang out with him a bit, get some personal time in with him first.
My big fat mouth and my extra curious brain couldn’t wait one second longer. I had to know. It would make spending all of this time with him for seven long days a lot easier. I wouldn’t have to worry about him trying to make a move on me.
Or worse, secretly wishing he would make a move on me. Wondering what my problem is and why he’s not attracted to me.
Holy crap, he still hasn’t given me an answer.
“Why do you ask?” he finally says, answering a question with a question, which I hate. Owen does that sort of thing to me all the time.
Plus by doing so, Drew’s going to make me rattle off a list of every gay suspicion I have about him. Not that I have many. I only came to the realization on the long as hell drive to his parents’ house.
“Well, you said you’ve never really had a girlfriend before. Your dad is worried about you and your lack of female company. I’ve never seen you with a girl at the bar, let alone seen you flirt with any, not that I’ve paid any attention,” I made sure to add. I’m being honest. I haven’t paid too much attention to him, but if my memory serves right, he’s not that much of a player.
“Maybe I haven’t found the right girl yet.”
My heart flares with hope, which is so incredibly stupid I wish I could punch myself in the chest. Yeah, I’m a complete idiot to think I have a chance at being the one for Drew.
The hired one? That’s all I’ll ever be.
“Are you um, saving yourself?” I force my voice to sound casual, while inside everything has turned to chaos. I’m twenty. He’s at least twenty-one. Is there really a possibility he’s a virgin? I know they’re out there, but I never figured Drew Callahan for one.
His dark chuckle tells me I’m off base and the relief that sweeps through me is near overwhelming. “I am definitely not a virgin. But it’s…been a while.”
I take a drag off my cigarette. “Why?” Whoops, there I go again. Delving into his personal life when I have no business doing so.
He shrugs, his flannel shirt stretching across his shoulders. Drew has a really fine set of shoulders. “I don’t do relationships. Sex is too—complicated.”
Interesting. I find it far too easy. “Maybe you’re having the wrong kind of sex.”
“Maybe the wrong kind of sex is all you can get.” His strong jaw goes firm and his eyes darken. He’s angry. I know this is all sorts of twisted, but he looks incredibly sexy. His fierce expression alone makes my heart go pitter-patter.
His answer is way too mysterious for me. “Sounds like you’re definitely having the wrong kind of sex.” I try to laugh, flicking the ash of my cigarette over the railing, noticing his undisguised look of disgust.
Drew’s not laughing either. I wonder if I offended him.
The cigarette is because I’m nervous and it sucks that he doesn’t approve, but I can’t help it. I smoked off and on through high school because I thought it was cool and for whatever reason, the summer after I graduated I up and quit cold turkey. For the most part.
But I keep a secret pack on me at all times, like a security blanket, only pulling one out when I’m extremely nervous or agitated and I need to calm my nerves.
Like tonight. That introduction to his parents was intense. Normally I go through a pack of smokes in six months. At the rate I’m going, I’ll be smoking a pack a day by the third day of this so-called vacation.
“If my dad saw you right now, he’d flip,” Drew said, drawing me from my thoughts.
I take another drag of the cigarette before stubbing it out and flicking it out as far as I can. Not that it’ll hit the ocean, but I like the image of it, the sizzle and hint of smoke the cig lets off upon hitting the water. In reality, I’m a common litterbug and I feel like crap, but Drew’s not chastising me. “It’ll be our little secret, right?”
“We’re going to have a ton of secrets between us by the end of the week, huh.” He’s not asking a question, it’s more like a statement and he’s right.
“Yeah, we are.” I smile at him, but he doesn’t return it. Instead, he turns on his heel and leaves the deck, slipping back into the house, the door closing behind him with a quiet click.
Leaving me all alone in the cold dark night with my cold dark thoughts.
~* Chapter Five *~
Day 2, 2 p.m.
Love is a smoke and is made with the fume of sighs. – William Shakespeare
Fable
Rich people suck. They’re rude, they act entitled to everything and heaven forbid you look like a poor person. I’m wearing jeans and a sweater, nothing fancy, and they all sneer at me like I’m some sort of bum. They flash me dirty looks like I crawled out of a gutter and then they have the nerve to look scared when I approach them. Like I’m going to pull a knife on them or something and demand all their money.
This is happening to me as I wander the cute shops that line Ocean Avenue in downtown Carmel. Drew dropped me off at the top of the hill, explaining there’s an endless amount of shops and art galleries that line the main drag as well as the side streets. He said I could explore the area for hours if I wanted to and I eagerly agreed to the arrangement since I knew his dad wanted to talk to him privately.
That’s what they’re doing right now. Sitting in some restaurant pretending to eat lunch while his dad drills him with the ‘what are you doing with your life’ questions, I’m sure. Luckily enough, Adele had a standing hair appointment and she couldn’t go, though she was ready to cancel. Drew’s dad stopped her, saying he wanted to talk to his son alone.
Her bitter disappointment was obvious to all over that one.
A shiver went down my spine. That woman gives me the heebie jeebies. I don’t like her and she doesn’t like me. At all. She tries her damnedest to spend time with Drew and he tries to avoid her at all costs. I don’t get it.
Of course, who am I to judge when it comes to screwed up families? Mine is an absolute mess.
I stop in front of a store window and peer through the glass. The shoes on display are probably so expensive, I figure I can’t afford to look, let alone walk into the place. Luckily my ringing phone saves me from doing something so daring.
“Tell me everything’s okay,” I answer.
“Everything’s okay,” Owen replies. Damn, even his voice sounds like he’s smirking.
“Shouldn’t you be in school?” It’s only two o’clock. He’s not out until three.
“It’s a half day today.”
He’s lying. The half-day isn’t until Wednesday but there’s no point in getting on him about it. I’m out of town. There’s nothing I can do. “Has Mom been home?”
“Yeah, last night she was there, but it sucked.” He curses under his breath. “She had her new boyfriend with her.”
Yuck. Glad I wasn’t there. Though if I had been, my mother wouldn’t have brought him around. She would’ve stayed at his place instead. “Is he nice?”
“No, he’s a jackass. Bossed Mom around and constantly told her to get him a beer. I finally told him to get his own damn beer.”
I sag against the wall with a groan, earning a few strange looks from passersby. “You didn’t.”
“I sure did. He’s rude as hell and he’s a drunk. Mom deserves better.”
I couldn’t agree with him because I don’t think our mom deserves better. She’s made her choices all these years and they’re always the same. I’ve lost count of how many drunken rude assholes my mom’s hooked up with. Owen doesn’t see it because I’ve sheltered him from the endless stream of boyfriends as much as possible.
“Did Mom get mad at you?”
“She didn’t say a word but the guy threatened to kick my ass if I back talked him again.”
“Holy crap,” I murmur, briefly closing my eyes. This is why I shouldn’t leave. I’ve been gone not even three full days and everything’s already falling apart. “I hope to God he didn’t lay a hand on you, or I’m calling the cops.”
“Pfft.” Thirteen year olds think they’re invincible and my brother is no exception. “Like he could touch me. I’d kick his ass first.”
“I should come home.” Panic rises inside me. I know everything can spiral out of control real quick when I’m not around. What Owen’s telling me only proves it. “I’ll hop on the bus or a train or whatever and come home tonight if you need me.”
“What about those bratty kids you’re taking care of? You just can’t ditch your job.”
“I can if you’re in trouble. No job is more important than family.” I glance around, watching the beautiful people glide past me. It was cold, fog still lingered though it was high, more like clouds, and the sidewalk is crowded with both locals and tourists. It doesn’t take a genius to tell them apart.
“Stay there and earn all that extra money I’m sure we’ll be needing.” He lowers his voice and I hear a shout in the distance, probably one of his punk friends. God, they were probably all hanging out at our apartment and eating all our food. “Mom lost her job.”
My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. She worked part-time in a parts store at a local dealership for minimum wage. Nothing major, but we need every last dime she makes. This money from Drew is only going to last for a little while, especially now that she’s unemployed. “Great. When did this happen?”
“This morning. She texted me and let me know. Said she’s going to stay the night at Larry’s.”
“So you’ll spend the night alone.” Hell, no. The last thing I want to happen.
“I’m going over to Wade’s house, so don’t worry. I’ll spend the night there.” The words come out so breezily the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
He’s lying, I can tell. I’m so dam
n good at reading the kid I should be his mother. “You better. I’ll call Wade’s house later tonight to check on you.”
“Gimme a break, Fable. What, you can’t trust me?” He’s whining, sounding like the little brother I remember again. Another sign he’s lying.
“Nope, not when I’m out of town.” My cell beeps, indicating I have a text message and I pull the phone away from my ear to check it real quick.
It’s from Drew. And it’s only one word.
Marshmallow.
Crap.
“Hey, I gotta go, but I’m calling you later tonight and I’m going to talk to Wade’s mother. Make sure you’re okay and doing homework and whatever else you need to do.”
“Fable, that is such bull—”
“Bye.” I hang up before Owen pisses me off more and I immediately text Drew back.
I can’t come rescue you if I don’t know where you are.
My heart is beating way too hard after I send that text. This is the first time Drew used the marshmallow code word and I’m worried about him. Yesterday was all about hanging out at the house. I spent the entire afternoon at the beach when Drew and his dad went and golfed at a course not too far from the house. There are a ton of amazing golf courses there, Drew explained to me, not that I really cared. I think golf’s boring, but I guess Adele went with them though she doesn’t play. She probably chased after them on the golf cart the entire time.
Sunday night dinner had been a study in weirdness. Adele tried to talk to him, constantly asking Drew really personal questions while virtually ignoring me. His dad oblivious to the strange vibe, kept pace with a constant full glass of wine and was slurring his words by the end of the night.
I gladly escaped right after the meal, claiming I was tired from midterms and all those papers I had to write, which was a complete lie since I don’t go to college. Drew pled the same case. We both went back to the guesthouse and to our respective rooms. I’d been so tired I thought I would instantly fall asleep but I didn’t. I laid awake for over an hour, thinking about Drew and the crazy family dynamics he has going on here.