AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Since when do you have a type?” My mother sounds amused, and it pisses me off royally.
“Since I met someone.”
“You met someone? When?”
“In Canmore.”
She tsks. “Oh, Auden. You saw how that worked out for your aunt.”
“Katherine met Annabel’s father at Northwestern, Mom.” Technicalities aside, I’d say my aunt may have made out better than my mother. Sure, she’s never been married, she doesn’t run a giant company, and her daughter runs wild, but she’s definitely happier. Isn’t that what we should all be chasing? Happiness?
“End it. You’re about to start college. You know what your father would say.”
I glare out the window for the rest of the drive. We walk through the marble foyer in silence. It permeates the elevator ride as well.
“Busy day tomorrow. Be ready at nine.” That’s all my mother says before disappearing into her room.
I swipe my room key and walk into the sparsely decorated white hotel room. The only pop of color is a glass vase of pink peonies on the wooden dresser. I climb into the shower first to wash my face and rinse the product out of my hair. I slip between the crisp sheets after brushing my teeth, barefaced and with wet locks. The air conditioning is turned up to full blast, so I snuggle under the covers, grateful when they start to insulate my body heat. The bed is cozy and comfortable, yet sleep is elusive. I’m still awake when my phone starts buzzing on the table next to the bed.
I rub my eyes and grab the vibrating device, wincing as the harsh light of the screen burns my retinas. It’s Elliot.
I tap the green button and hold the phone up to my ear. “Hi.”
“Hi.” His low, husky voice sends shivers through me. In the quiet, dark room, it feels like he could be here in bed with me. Iwishhe were here in bed with me. We’re both silent. I listen to his soft inhales and exhales, thousands of miles away. “Where are you?”
“Back at the hotel. In bed. You?”
“I’m at the rink.”
Of course he is. “You’re skating?”
“Yeah. I was at Cassie’s earlier with the guys, but I left. Everyone else was hooking up, and I…” He sighs.
“Youwhat, Eli?”
“You complicated things, Denny. You really fucking complicated things.”
“They were already complicated. We just stopped pretending they weren’t.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” He pauses. “How’s New York?”
“It sucks. I’ve barely seen my mom so far, and I got roped into dinner with her boyfriend and his son.”
“Yeah, I heard.”
“What? Youdid? How?”
“Apparently there are photos online of you and some actor at a restaurant.Someonethought it would be nice to show me.”
Cassie, I’m guessing. “You’re not…” Bothered? Upset? Jealous? I don’t know how to end the sentence, so I don’t, but I wouldn’t hate it if one of those words applied.
“Did you think I’d see them?”
“What? No, of course not. I didn’t even know therewerephotos.”
“You don’t seem surprised that there are.”
“Well, what did you want me to do? Pretend to faint on the floor from shock?”
