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Chapter 21
KEALY
Wait ‘til I told Fantine.
Actually, I probably wouldn’t tell her. She’d ask too many questions. And besides, this was all mine. At least for now.
Oh, to hell with that.
“Fantine,” I whispered. I’d sneaked into Rand’s bathroom with my cell phone. Someone had carried me to bed, and he and Marlon were now fast asleep. Guess I’d worn them out.
Yeah, right.
“Hey, Keal,” she said in a sleepy voice.
I looked at the time on my phone. Oops. After midnight.
“Sorry, Fan, I just needed to talk to you for a sec.”
Sheets rustled in the background, and I heard her propping herself up in bed.
“Keal, is everything okay?” she asked.
I pulled a towel around myself for warmth and sat on the edge of the bathtub. Rand’s bathroom was about as fancy as one might expect, just like his kitchen. Too bad his parents wouldn’t accept his financial help. Their lives would change, for sure.
“Everything’s fine. Great, in fact. I’m staying over Rand’s, if you haven’t already figured it out.”
“Oooh, my naughty little Kealy. Guess you did the nasty with your hot model, huh?” she teased.
“Actually…” I hesitated but then decided what the fuck. “I slept with him and Marlon.”
She sucked in her breath so sharply, I thought she might choke.
“You did? You had a threesome? Well, you little ho. I love it. Can’t say I’ve ever done that myself.” She sounded a little wistful.
“I wouldn’t worry, Fantine, you have your whole life ahead of you for threesomes and more.”
“What do you mean more? Was anyone else there besides Marlon and Rand?”
“No. No, don’t be ridiculous.” Although, was she being ridiculous? Maybe that’s what lay ahead for me.
She laughed. “I’m just pulling your leg. Sort of. So how was it? Everything you’d dreamed and more?”
“Shut up. Yes, it was awesome. I loved it. Super hot.”
I heard footsteps in the hallway. “Fantine, I gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow,” I whispered, swiping my phone closed.
I pulled the bathroom door open and walked smack into Marlon. But freaking naked.
“Hey, gorgeous. I thought I heard someone in there.” He leaned against the doorjamb and smiled.
Damn him for being so good-looking.
“Oh yeah, just taking care of business,” I said, smiling back. As exhausted as I was, I wouldn’t have minded another round with him. Or Rand. Or both.
“Really? Taking care of business with your phone?” he asked.
Busted. “Oh I know. A terrible habit, isn’t it? I take this thing with me everywhere I go.”
Good save. Right?
“Okay, beautiful. Get back to bed. I’ll join you there in a moment.” He kissed my temple and closed the door behind himself.
I suddenly wasn’t so tired any more.
* * *
“So…what do you think?” I asked, sitting back in my chair.
I looked around Marina’s amazing house, the first one where I’d felt truly loved and truly at home. I’d come a long way from the few short years ago when I’d arrived there, eager to be a good nanny and make the Benson family happy. I never dreamed they’d give me so much more than I could ever repay them for.
Marina continued flipping through my sketchbook with all the care and respect she’d always shown my work and me. I was on the edge of my seat hoping she approved.
She nodded slowly and looked up at me.
Oh, god. She hated them.
“Kealy, these are amazing.”
Shit. My eyes filled with tears, which I wiped away with my sleeve.
Marina laughed. “I’ve watched your work develop since you started fashion school. You just keep getting better and better.”
There was no holding back. I gushed like a damn crybaby. “Th...thank you, Ma…marina…”
She patted my hand. “C’mon, now. You know you’re good.”
I blew my nose on the tissue she passed me and just nodded until the sobs stopped.
“Thanks, Marina,” I said when my voice steadied.
“Let’s go sit on the terrace,” she said, letting me lead the way to a tiled patio with lounge chairs and a sprawling umbrella.
“When are the kids home?” I asked.
