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“Oh, don’t give me that look,” Charlie laughs. “You’ll get in.”
My phone buzzes before I can ask her how she knows and my heart stops as I seeMomon the caller ID. I press the hang up button and turn my phone completely off before shoving it back inside my bag. Nope. Not in the mood for that. If I had a cup of coffee in my hand to help calm my nerves, then sure, but seeing how I am sans coffee, I am not putting up with Mom’s passive aggression right now.
“What was that about?” Charlie asks while nodding at my bag.
I sigh and pull out my sketchbook, throwing it onto the table before digging for my pencil case. “Mom.”
”Is something going on?”
I groan. When is something not going on with Mom? Ever since she and Dad got divorced, she’s been acting like she’s my age, and she keeps shoving Bryan in my face like she wants me to call him Dad and drink lemonade with him at Central Park. Like Hell that is ever happening. I already have a dad. I don’t need another one.
“Mom wants me to go to the Hamptons with her and her new boyfriend. They’re trying to book a place for the summer and they need to know ASAP if I can come.”
Charlie makes a face. “I take it you don’t want to go.”
“Of course not. Just thinking about Mom and her new boy toy makes me want to puke. Actually, seeing what they get up to might actually blind me.”
Charlie giggles and quickly smacks a hand over her mouth as I shoot her a dark scowl.
“It’s not funny,” I say between clenched teeth.
“Oh, I know. Why don’t you just tell her?”
“I don’t know how. If I tell her I don’t want to go, then she will think I hate Bryan and get upset with me.”
Charlie frowns. “You have to be kidding. Why would anyone our age want to hang out with their family during the summer? Especially when you have four men who, I know for sure, look mighty fine in swim shorts. Just tell her no. End of story.”
“I don’t know.”
Charlie rolls her eyes. “You’re a grown adult. What can she actually do to you if you say now? Ground you?”
I chuckle at that. “No.”
“See?”
I know Charlie is right, but it’s not that simple. If I tell Mom no, not only will she think that I hate Bryan, which really isn’t all that far from the truth, but she will think I am in cahoots with Dad. And if I deny it, she will only press me further to prove myself to her that I am not taking anyone’s side in this silent battle.
Honestly, I wish everything would go back to normal. Sure, I don’t want my parents to be married to each other if they’re not in love anymore, but it would be nice if they left me completely out of it.
I redirect my focus to my sketchbook, trying to think of something I can draw to present to my teacher, but nothing comes to me. Bryan and Mom keep popping up inside my mind. My fingers twitch with irritation and I’m tempted to throw my pencil across the room. I have no inspiration. How am I supposed to take part in an art market if I can’t even draw, let alone produce any work to sell?
Chapter 10
LUCAS
Ican’tbelieveIam doing this. I feel like I’m having an out of body experience—like the dark side of me has taken over and is making decisions for me as I watch, telling myself this isn’t the right thing to do. No matter how many times I tell myself to look for another way, to make a name for myself without involving my family, the person in charge ignores me. My mouth is moving of its own accord. I’m no longer in charge.
Yet, at the same time, I am. I am making this decision, and I must face the consequences in the future. “So,” I begin while staring into the screen. Lori is still in New York, sitting in a large black chair in her office, reminding me of my father. It’s almost seven at night and she’s still in a dark business suit, her hands resting on her desk, looking calm, while here I am freaking out, not knowing if this is the right move. “What you’re telling me is, I have to send a summary of each chapter?”
Lori nods. “And a summary of the whole book, which I will give to my boss.”
“I don’t understand. I thought you already hired me?” Usually I have to give summaries of chapters and books when applying to get published by a company or agent. I have to send them even after I’ve been hired? Or is something fishy going on?
“Lucas, don’t worry.” Lori chuckles and waves a hand at me.
She’s acting like I’m being a drama king, but I don’t know how these things work. I’m new to all of this. I’ve only read my work at Open Mic nights and received rejection letters. I’ve never made it this far.
“It’s just for formalities. You’re already hired, but we want to know what we can look forward to in the book. Our editors might make suggestions.”
