“We have a time share there,” she says, managing to sound bored. “It’s not as great as it sounds, really. Actually, it’s a bit too remote for my tastes.”
And I bet her tastes were expensive as hell.
“Yeah, I’m sure it really sucks having a second home in Hawaii.”
“A time share,” she repeats, like she’s embarrassed to have more than one home.
“Ange’s family has homes in Colorado Springs, New York, Miami, and Paris,” Kenzie adds.
I whistle between my teeth, and I’m surprised to see Ange looking embarrassed. I half expected her to be smug.
“They’re all time shares…except for Colorado Springs. It used to be my grandparents’ house and my dad inherited it just last year.”
I pat her hand. “You don’t need to explain. I get that your family is filthy rich.”
“I’m not trying to explain anything to you,” she snaps, ripping her hand from under mine and folding it in her lap.
Whoa. Without meaning to, I had hit a nerve.
She stares out the window the rest of the way home, only turning to look at Kenzie. The two reminisce and I slide down in the seat and watch Ange from the corner of my eye. Every once in a while she’ll glance over at me, and I slowly look away.
Deklan plays tour guide as we drive past the old fort and barracks, and Ange seems intrigued, soaking it all in and even taking a picture on her phone.
Her smile slides a little as we pull into the driveway of Deklan’s house. She looks…confused.
Kenzie looks back at her. “This is where Deklan and Ryder live.”
Is that relief I see in her eyes? “Oh right—with two other band mates.”
Ange clears her throat. “What a beautiful older home…and such a quaint neighborhood.”
Was this bitch for real?
Deklan is out of the car instantly and opening the back door for Ange.
“We’re not heading to your place?” Ange asks when Kenzie follows Deklan inside.
“You don’t mind, do you?” Kenzie says. “I’d like you to meet Curtis.”
Ange manages a smile. It’s obvious she would prefer to leave. “I don’t mind at all.”
She looked like she might leave her things in the car, then thought better of it. She actually brought the carry-on in. I was surprised she didn’t ask to pop the trunk and bring her suitcase as well.
She catches my gaze and frowns.
Once inside, I meet up with Deklan in the kitchen.
“So…what do you think?” he asks, grabbing a few sodas.
“I think she hates me.”
Giving me a sympathetic smile, Deklan puts a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. In time she’ll come to love you.”
THREE
Ange
The second we pull out of Deklan’s driveway, I glance at the older home where Kenzie’s boyfriend is waving goodbye to us. Beside him is Ryder. He is obviously too cool to wave, of course. Hands in pockets, he watches with a brooding stare.
I’ve little doubt he’s talking mad shit about me. It’s been a taxing few hours having to hang out with the four of us together. I had a pretty good intuition when it came to people, and it was easy to tell that Ryder hated being the third wheel in the Deklan/Kenzie relationship. A few times, I saw his gaze linger a little too long on my best friend. I don’t think Deklan realized just how much his friend still liked Kenzie, or if he did, he wasn’t acting like it bothered him too much.
Despite the fact that Deklan looked like a dangerous guy, he was just a really nice guy wrapped in ink. The hair and the piercings just added to his edge.
“You really love him, don’t you?”
Kenzie smiles and laughs under her breath. “Oh Ange, you have no idea.”
“Oh, I think I do. I’ve known your every crush since you were eight, and you’ve never been so head-over-heels.”
“What do you think of him?”
I knew my opinion mattered to her. “He’s amazing, and oh my God, crazy gorgeous.”
“I know, right!”
She beams and squeezes my hand. “He makes me feel…protected. Like when I’m with him I can do
And I bet her tastes were expensive as hell.
“Yeah, I’m sure it really sucks having a second home in Hawaii.”
“A time share,” she repeats, like she’s embarrassed to have more than one home.
“Ange’s family has homes in Colorado Springs, New York, Miami, and Paris,” Kenzie adds.
I whistle between my teeth, and I’m surprised to see Ange looking embarrassed. I half expected her to be smug.
“They’re all time shares…except for Colorado Springs. It used to be my grandparents’ house and my dad inherited it just last year.”
I pat her hand. “You don’t need to explain. I get that your family is filthy rich.”
“I’m not trying to explain anything to you,” she snaps, ripping her hand from under mine and folding it in her lap.
Whoa. Without meaning to, I had hit a nerve.
She stares out the window the rest of the way home, only turning to look at Kenzie. The two reminisce and I slide down in the seat and watch Ange from the corner of my eye. Every once in a while she’ll glance over at me, and I slowly look away.
Deklan plays tour guide as we drive past the old fort and barracks, and Ange seems intrigued, soaking it all in and even taking a picture on her phone.
Her smile slides a little as we pull into the driveway of Deklan’s house. She looks…confused.
Kenzie looks back at her. “This is where Deklan and Ryder live.”
Is that relief I see in her eyes? “Oh right—with two other band mates.”
Ange clears her throat. “What a beautiful older home…and such a quaint neighborhood.”
Was this bitch for real?
Deklan is out of the car instantly and opening the back door for Ange.
“We’re not heading to your place?” Ange asks when Kenzie follows Deklan inside.
“You don’t mind, do you?” Kenzie says. “I’d like you to meet Curtis.”
Ange manages a smile. It’s obvious she would prefer to leave. “I don’t mind at all.”
She looked like she might leave her things in the car, then thought better of it. She actually brought the carry-on in. I was surprised she didn’t ask to pop the trunk and bring her suitcase as well.
She catches my gaze and frowns.
Once inside, I meet up with Deklan in the kitchen.
“So…what do you think?” he asks, grabbing a few sodas.
“I think she hates me.”
Giving me a sympathetic smile, Deklan puts a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. In time she’ll come to love you.”
THREE
Ange
The second we pull out of Deklan’s driveway, I glance at the older home where Kenzie’s boyfriend is waving goodbye to us. Beside him is Ryder. He is obviously too cool to wave, of course. Hands in pockets, he watches with a brooding stare.
I’ve little doubt he’s talking mad shit about me. It’s been a taxing few hours having to hang out with the four of us together. I had a pretty good intuition when it came to people, and it was easy to tell that Ryder hated being the third wheel in the Deklan/Kenzie relationship. A few times, I saw his gaze linger a little too long on my best friend. I don’t think Deklan realized just how much his friend still liked Kenzie, or if he did, he wasn’t acting like it bothered him too much.
Despite the fact that Deklan looked like a dangerous guy, he was just a really nice guy wrapped in ink. The hair and the piercings just added to his edge.
“You really love him, don’t you?”
Kenzie smiles and laughs under her breath. “Oh Ange, you have no idea.”
“Oh, I think I do. I’ve known your every crush since you were eight, and you’ve never been so head-over-heels.”
“What do you think of him?”
I knew my opinion mattered to her. “He’s amazing, and oh my God, crazy gorgeous.”
“I know, right!”
She beams and squeezes my hand. “He makes me feel…protected. Like when I’m with him I can do
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