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“Yeah?” Dad sounded intrigued. “That’s interesting. Got any buyers?”
“I don’t know…but I’m kicking around the idea of buying it.”
Silence.
“I think I might be ready to slow down some,” I admitted, my thoughts going back to the beach with Lena. The simplicity of the moment had been magical.
And I wondered if there was more of that to be found.
Maybe I would look into it…after the tour, of course.
35
LENA
“Miss Harris?” One of my students, Louisa, raised her hand. “My mom said that you’re in love with Jackson. Is that true?”
I stared at the little blonde-headed girl, wishing that free time in class meant something other than talking about my personal life. “Um, I suppose that’s the truth.”
“You don’t marry someone unless you love them,” Aliyah, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, shot back at Louisa.
“In the movies it sometimes happens that way,” Louisa argued. “It’s called a ranged marriage.”
“I think you mean an arranged marriage,” I corrected her, letting out a sigh. “And no, Jackson and I are not in an arranged marriage.” Just a completely fake engagement.
“Yeah, ’cause you’re not married at all.” One of the boys, Ben, burst into a fit of laughter. “My mom says that Jackson Whiss is just nothin’ but bad news. She says he’s a man slut.”
“Ben,” I warned him, using my teacher tone. “We don’t use that kind of language in my classroom.
“Sorry, Miss Harris.” He ducked his head.
“So do you love him?” Louisa circled back to the question at hand—one that I had already answered.
“Yes,” I said, the lie rolling off my lips like it wasn’t one at all. Putting on the front was getting easier, though I had to admit that the easier it got, the guiltier I felt…and the more I questioned my own integrity.
I felt like a con man.
“Can we watch a movie?” Brittan, one of the quieter boys in the class, chimed. He looked at me with a hopeful expression on his face—and as much as I wanted to agree to a movie…
“Class lets out in ten minutes,” I said, sighing again. “We’re just going to wait it out. Your parents will be here to pick you up at any time.”
“Does Jackson pick you up?” Aliyah asked me, tilting her head. “My dad picks up my mom sometimes…but they’re not married anymore. I don’t know why he picks her up.”
Well, that’s interesting.
“Jackson is not going to pick me up today,” I clarified, casting my eyes toward where Frank was sitting in the hallway. The bodyguard did a good job of staying out of my way—and half the time, I forgot he was there at all. It was weird.
“Does he pick you up sometimes?” Louisa raised an eyebrow. “It’s not nice if he doesn’t pick you up sometimes.”
“He picks me up sometimes.” And carries me to the bed. The thought made me blush, and I pushed it away. I had been staying at my own house lately. I hadn’t been at his since the night we worked on the song.
“Dad says their band is going on tour again,” Ben said, looking at Aliyah. “Jackson will probably cheat on her while he’s gone. That’s what rock stars do.”
Oh my god. The things these kids say.
“He’s not going to do that.” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but regardless, the point was made. “And enough talking about Jackson. You all can find something else to talk about.”
However, Ben’s words still stuck in my head as they started to discuss other topics. Jackson and I weren’t really together. It wouldn’t matter what he did when he went on tour…
