I glance at Mrs. Cabot, and her eyes narrow.
“You didn’t even know them,” she snaps. “So why are you crying?”
I didn’t realize I was. I brush at my face. I don’t have the energy to fight with her, and I’d refuse to do it anyway, given we’re at her son’s grave.
She’s correct—I’ve got no right to be crying. It’s selfish, again, and so like my mother to make eventhisabout myself. “Because it’s sad,” I reply in a choked voice. “Mostly, because it could’ve been Elijah.”
She stares at me for a long moment—for once, her gaze is more curious than angry.
“You’re in love with my grandson,” she announces.
I stiffen. “I didn’t say that.”
“Don’t be an idiot. You don’t cry like that over someone you’re not in love with. Over an imagined situation, for God’s sake.”
If I wasn’t so upset at the moment, I might laugh. Only Carol Cabot could manage to get pissed at me overthis.
“Have no fear,” I say, turning for the car. “He has never felt the same way.”
“He has nevernotfelt the same way,” she says over her shoulder. “And that’s precisely the problem.”
I stumble over the gravel in front of me, my heels digging in to catch myself. It’s the second time in twelve hours someone has implied that Elijah cares about me, that there are things happening that I’m not aware of.
I didn’t entirely buy it from Elijah, but from Mrs. Cabot? She’s got no reason in the world to say that to me. Seeing me end up with her grandson would be her worst nightmare.
“He specifically told me he doesn’t see me that way,” I inform her.
She shakes her head as she turns back toward the grave. “You’re a very stupid girl if you believed him.”
It’s not as if she’d truly know. Elijah’s not baring his soul to her. I seriously doubt he was texting her about his love life years ago, either.
But it certainly seems as if everybody here knows something I do not.
27
ELIJAH
Ipull out my phone while I wait for my grandmother and Easton.
Betty is watching TikTok and suggesting the four of us do some viral dance at the wedding. I definitely don’t see that happening, but I’m too busy starting shit with my sister to listen.
Are you going to be okay getting Mom on the plane tomorrow?
KELSEY
You act as if I haven’t done this before. Of course I’ll be okay. Are you being nice to Easton?
How I’m being to Easton is none of your business. Also why the fuck are you trying to set her up with Hawk’s best friend?
This, I only admit to myself now, is the real reason I’m texting.
Why shouldn’t I? Thomas is currently dating Sofia Leigh, for God’s sake. Easton owes him nothing.
That doesn’t mean she needs a one-night stand with some LA douche to fill the void.
Aiden is not from LA.
Yeah, THAT was the important part to refute. Well done.
