A gusty sigh crackled over the line. “One day you’ll understand that everything we do is because we love you.”
“I don’t want to hear that anymore.” I snapped the lid too hard on my mascara. “That’s not why I called anyway. I got a message from an unknown number today. They asked me where I was.”
“What?” Her tone sharpened. “Did you respond?”
“No. They called and I blocked the number immediately.”
“Good. We’ll get your number changed. This won’t happen again.”
You’ve said that before.
I slumped over, touching my forehead to the dresser. I slept for four hours and yet I was exhausted. So very, very tired.
“Shouldn’t I come home, Mom? What if... it’s not safe?”
“You will be safe, my love. I promise. I’ve spoken to Mrs. Desai. No one other than guests are allowed in or near the villa. Everyone on her security has been with her for at least five years and they’ve all passed background checks. The same for the staff in the house,” she said. “Remember why you’re there, Belle. Don’t let anything else distract you.”
“How can I not be distracted?” I rasped. “That text. He knows I left. Less than twelve hours after I left Bracknell, he knew. How did he know?”
“He doesn’t know where you are,” she said firmly. “And he will not find out. That is what matters. Now, you put this whole nasty business out of your mind. If you need anything or... if something happens, call us and we’ll be there faster than Jefferson can refuel the plane.”
“Okay.” For that brief moment I didn’t have it in me to be angry. “Thanks, Mom.”
“I love you, darling. We’ll talk soon?”
“Yes. Tomorrow. You’ll be back to Cecilia by then.”
To my surprise, she chuckled. “You can call me what you must as long as I get to hear your voice.”
And there she was. The mom I knew.
“Oh. Your father’s here. Say hi, dear.”
My smile vanished. “I have to get going.”
“Bel—”
I hung up.
Rescuing the rest of my makeup, I carried it into the bathroom and finished getting ready.
The villa was packed. I heard the chatter of friends walking past my door and the thumps of the person settling in above me. Downstairs the mixer/luau was kicking off with a buffet and dancing according to my information packet. Mrs. Desai was also kind enough to note the objective underneath.
Get to know each other in a relaxed, friendly environment.
They’re going to get to know me all right.
I swiped on my lipstick, did my hair up in a messy ponytail, and slipped into my white crochet top and matching skirt. Yes, I crocheted it myself. Yes, it was a bitch. But I wanted to learn and throwing myself into projects served as a great distraction. It would all work out if channeling everything I went through into design earned me the career I wanted. And the security that always felt out of reach.
Shaking away those thoughts, I gave myself one last look in the mirror and headed out. Music beckoned me from the staircase, leading me down and through a new hallway. Ahead of me, freshly minted graduates and coeds danced on the other side of the sliding glass door. I stepped out and dozens of pairs of eyes clapped on me.
Tiki torches and string lights cast a glow over the pool, veiling it in an almost romantic atmosphere. Couples took up lawn chaises. Friends sat on the rim kicking their feet in the water. Preston, Nathan, and Carter tossed a football on the lawn, laughing and yukking it up.
I landed on a group of girls staring particularly hard. “Does my reputation precede me?”
“It does, Belle Adler,” one of them said. “Come on. Grab a drink and join us.”
I shrugged. “Why not?”
The buffet table offered me a host of mocktails. I floundered between a Bahama Mama and a Fuzzless Navel, and then decided to get both of them.
“What are we talking about?” I asked, joining the group.
“You, of course.” The girl who invited me stuck out her hand, noticed my double-fisting predicament, and dropped it. “I’m Hazel. This is Nora, Mila, and Kelli.”
They were a cute bunch. Matching pink two-piece bathing suits under black kimonos. Shades propped on Hazel’s freckled nose and braids fell to Nora’s hips. Otherwise, they matched down to the same purple nail polish.
“Nice to meet you guys.”
“Why haven’t we met before?” asked Kelli. “You didn’t go to Blackburn?”
“Dad and the dame sent me to a local high school. I didn’t want to be too far away. Am I the only ‘new’ girl?”
“You’re definitely the most interesting,” Hazel said. “That speech you gave was hilarious.”
“Wasn’t meant to be comedic relief,” I muttered.
Kelli flapped a hand. “This whole thing seems weird if you’ve been outside of it, but how I look at it is a chance to snag Nathan Prince or Carter Knight for a summer of fun or a lifetime of it.” She pushed her breasts up, eyes drifting over my shoulder to the football game. “Either one sounds good to me.”
“It’s Preston I want,” Nora said. “He was a god on the soccer field. Sweaty and dripping like a mason jar filled with iced tea on a summer’s day.”
“Descriptive,” I said.
“You can lust after Preston all you want, but everyone knows he’s Delilah’s.” Hazel turned on me. “They’ve pretty much been dating since middle school.”
“Good to know.” I couldn’t resist peeking over my shoulder. I fell on Nathan just as he pulled his shirt off. “Are those guys really the most eligible bachelors?”
“Um, yeah. Just look at them.”
Look at them indeed. I called them sirens for a reason.
“So, if they proposed, you would marry one of them?”
“Yep.”
“For sure.”
“Hell yeah.”
“I’d say yes before he dropped on his knee.” Hazel nudged me. “But you wouldn’t?”
I heaved a sigh. “I can’t. There’s too much history there, especially between me and Nathan. Having a baby together and giving him up for adoption. Something like that is hard to come back from.”
A profound silence shrouded the group.
Wide-eyed Hazel looked from me, to Nathan, and back to me. “Excuse me?”
I shook my head. “Guessing he didn’t spread that around the academy. But yes, we have a son. He’s two and about the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. He’s got curls and freckles just like his daddy.”
The girls inched back, passing a look around each other.
“Our parents wouldn’t let us keep the baby, but we have an open adoption and we want to be active in our son’s life. Tell me, Hazel,” I said, halting her retreat. “Are you ready to be a stepmother?”
“Uhh. Actually, our friends are waving for us, so we gotta go. Nice talking to you, Belle.”
“Bye.”
It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to fall over laughing as the four of them scurried away.
“Oh, yeah.” A smirk split my cheeks. “This is going to be fun.”