I don’t care about getting the bigger room, honestly. I want a space that’s my own. Somewhere I can control and escape to. My own haven that I can paint and decorate any way I want—soft purple walls would be pretty.
Shannon slinks down the hallway without a goodbye, leaving Austin and me to glare at each other in mutual annoyance.
Then his face twists with dissatisfaction and he steps closer. “I hope you’re happy. I hate this small town and our ‘family’. We could have moved to Houston, where the population is over one thousand and more than five restaurants exist. Butnoooo. You didn’t feel safe in a city. So we ended up in Butt Fuck, Texas, instead.” He points a beefy finger at me. “Stay away from me, Jessi. Everywhere I am, make sure you’re not.”
Austin’s rejection stings, but I understand where he’s coming from—sort of. His mom cheated on his dad with my dad, so Dad will forever be an enemy, and me too. And if Austin can’t hurt Dad, he can hurt the next best thing. Me.
“I didn’t want this either, you know,” I shoot back as my hurt boils into anger. “I never asked for my mom to leave us or Dad and Shannon to get married. Dad wanted to be on the water. Just because I didn’t want to live in the middle of Houston, doesn’t mean I wanted to livehere.”
Austin scowls. “Your dad gives you everything you want. You don’t have to work ever. But he rides my ass day and night, like I need to earn my right to live here. I keep straight As and workout beyond scheduled practices, but nothing is good enough for him.My mom is too wrapped around his finger and money to get in the middle. But all day long I hear how perfect you are and how useless I am. Well, I’m sorry I can’t meet Mr. High and Mighty’s standards. We can’t all be Jessi fucking Johnson.” He growls. “I can’t stand it.”
I tilt my chin to meet his icy gaze. “You know what else might be your problem?”
“What?”
“My dad might not like how much time you spend flirting with every girl who walks by. And that’s why he’s tough on you.”
“Just stay the hell away from me!” Austin marches down the hall and slams his door hard enough that the vibrations rattle under my feet.
Shannon pops her head in the doorway seconds later, a wad of packing paper in her bejeweled hands. “Everything okay?”
I shake my head and mumble, “Perfect.”
She eyes me then nods. “Your dad wants us to have dinner tonight. Together. Can you keep the complaining to your dad to a minimum? We’re going to discuss your nineteenth birthday party.”
Yay. This should be fun.I hate parties, especially Shannon’s lavish ones.
“I’ll be there,” I say.
My dadand Shannon are already at the table when I come downstairs. The extravagant table seats at least eight. We only need four chairs, but Shannon loves to plan fancy dinner parties and flaunt Dad’s money, so the more extravagance the better.
My dad gives me a strained smile before shifting his attention to Shannon. My stepmom’s eyes never leave my dad, even after I sit down. Shannon keeps talking about how she needs money to decorate the home. “All the décor we have screams so last year. Everything needs a refresh.”
A jolt of defensiveness lances through me. “The décor we have now feels like home. I’m sure we can mix it with things from your old home and make it feel like new.”
She turns her nose up at me and addresses my dad. “Darling, we need a fresh start. That’s what you said this would be.”
My dad sighs. “I’ll add money to the account. Get whatever you’d like.”
Her smug smirk makes my chest deflate.
Dad scowls as Austin jogs down the stairs and into the dining room. “We’re not even in this house one day and you can’t follow simple instructions to be at the table on time?”
Austin’s face tightens as he combs his wet hair back with his fingers and out of his eyes. “I’m sorry. I had to take a shower after my run. I came down right after.”
My dad keeps his eyes on his plate while he continues to eat. “Fine. I spoke to the coaches, and they’re open to putting you on varsity. They want to see you in action next week.” He gives Austin a hard glare while pointing his fork in my stepbrother’s direction. “They recruit across the greater Houston area. You’d better put in a lot of extra work before then, got it?”
Austin doesn’t lift his gaze. “Yes, sir.”
Shannon clasps her hands together. “I was thinking that we should throw Jessi a nineteenth birthday party next month. It will be the perfect way to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood.”
“I don’t want a party,” I say. “I don’t have any friends here. It would be awkward.”
Shannon’s gaze narrows. “That’s precisely why we should have one. Meeting people is how you make friends. You can formally introduce yourself to everyone. Jeremy, invite the executives from your new firm, and I’ll send invites to the country club members. It will be perfect!”
My dad’s gaze ping-pongs from Shannon to me and then back to Shannon. “If you think that’s best. Jessi, you deserve to be celebrated. Could be a nice way for all of us to settle in as a family here too.”
“Okay, Dad,” I murmur, wishing I could dissolve into the floor and ignore the conversation.
