Are the rumors about Keaton true? He surely wouldn’t cheat on this dime piece.
If he did, then there was never any hope for him.
“Nice to meet you,” I murmur as I pull my hand back quickly.
“Likewise. Where are you taking her tonight?” Sage has a friendly smile, but I can see the fierce look in her eye.
I shrug, pointing to Tinsley. “She planned out our night. Something about dinner….” I trail off as I watch Tinsley mouth to me no.
“Just dinner then?” Sage presses.
“For now. I’m more of a live-in-the-moment type. I don’t like to make plans.”
Lies. All lies. I hate winging it, but it’s obvious that Tinsley doesn’t want me to divulge the part about the party.
Sage stares me down before turning to Keaton. Some unspoken communication goes on before my eyes, making me miss the way I used to share that connection with him.
“All right. Don’t stay out too late. You know the rules, Tinsley. No drinking, no parties, and no below the belt action.” Sage winks at me with the last one.
“Seriously? I’m right here, and that’s my sister,” Keaton grumbles.
Sage playfully pushes Keaton, making me silently fume for no reason. I need to get these lingering feelings under control. I don’t even like the guy anymore.
You keep telling yourself that.
“You need to stop babying her. Next year, you will be gone and she will be all alone. You won’t be able to control her every movement. Might want to let her have some fun while you can still keep an eye on her,” Sage replies.
“Ugh, I hate you both. I’m not a child. Can we go now?” Tinsley phrases it as a question but grabs my hand, pulling me out the door before they can respond.
“Stay safe,” Sage calls out.
Keaton grabs my arm once more before I get down the steps. I wave Tinsley on, turning to face him.
“Keep her safe, Morgan. As much as I don’t want to, I’m depending on you. Don’t abandon her.”
“I won’t. You need to chill. I’ve got her. I won’t let anything happen to her. Trust me.”
“I trusted you once, and you broke it. Sorry if I’m reluctant to jump on that train again.”
I let out a hefty sigh. “Yeah, and you broke mine, so call it even. I've got Tin for the night. Enjoy your night off.”
Before he responds, I pull away, making my way to the car. As I drive away, I don’t miss his figure standing on the front steps in my rearview mirror.
“What was that about back there?” I ask Tinsley.
“Sage is great. I love her, but she can be just as stifling as the guys sometimes. It’s only because she cares, but sometimes I really hate being the youngest. I feel like everyone thinks you get away with murder and you’re spoiled, but they don’t see how you’re sheltered to the point of it being a hindrance on your growth. I can’t wait for next year. I’ll miss you and V, but it will be nice to have the school to myself. Somewhere where I can go and live my life without someone telling me what’s right and wrong. Maybe I want to make some mistakes of my own instead of learning from other’s mistakes all the time.”
When she finally takes a breath, I glance over at her, shocked. “Shit, Tin. Tell me how you really feel.”
She gives me a sheepish look. “Sorry. I’ve wanted to get that off my chest. You know I can’t even talk to Victoria about this. She’s Sage's cousin. I don’t think she would say anything if I asked her not to, but it doesn’t feel right. That, and she coddles me sometimes too.”
I reach over and pat her knee. “No coddling from me. I won’t let you do anything dangerous or stupid, but if you want to be a teen, let’s go be teens. Can I tell you a secret?”
“Always.”
“I haven’t gotten to enjoy my teens either. HDA was all work and no play. Imagine 15-hour days. Some doing regular, required schoolwork, but most dancing or stretching and conditioning. It was exhausting.”
“Why did you stay then?”
My mind flashes to Keaton. Had we left on good terms, would I have stayed?
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“Why did you come back?”
I shrug, not giving an answer.
Changing the subject, I ask, “Does Sage know your brother is a man whore?”
“She knows he has a past, but she ignores it. Can’t blame him for something he did before he knew her.”
“I don’t know. All the rumors I’ve heard are fairly recent.” After parking the car, I turn to give Tinsley my full attention.
She looks confused. “He would never cheat on her. He’s so madly in love with her, he doesn’t even see other women.”
“Keaton?” I laugh. “He flirts with girls every day at school.”
Her mouth makes an O before she bursts out laughing. “You thought Sage was with Keaton?” She slaps her knee. “Reed’s going to hate hearing that. Sage has been dating Reed since the end of last year. Before that really, if you count the little cat-and-mouse game they played for most of the school year. Keaton doesn’t date. Like at all.”
A weight that I didn’t know was there lifts off my chest at the recent development. Then I chastise myself for being happy about that when I’m not supposed to care about him.
“Well, I read that all wrong then.”
She wipes tears away from her eyes as her laughter subsides., “They are close, so I can see how you were confused. Sage is more like a mom to Keaton and me since ours is absent. She takes care of us, reminds us to do our homework, cooks us dinner. Normal stuff our Mom should be doing but doesn’t. She’s family.”
The casual way she says it reminds me that I used to be family too. For a moment, I let myself feel that loss. The one I have pushed down since the day I left Yates Manor
