Chrissy sighed. “But Dad is going to freak, Ethan.”
I held her shoulders and bent my knees so I could look her straight in the eyes. “I’ll deal with Dad. I’ll explain everything to him later.”
She bit her lip. “When?”
I squeezed her shoulders. “When it’s too late for him to stop me.”
Her tension faded with a grin. “Boris Blakely.”
I nodded as I typed his name. Then I added “Yale” at the end and a few seconds later, I found his information on the school website. I glanced up at the clock and saw that it was only two o’clock. I still had a chance of catching him before he left. Or at least his receptionist would knowhow to get a hold of him.
As the phone started to ring, I moved toward Chrissy and waved her out. I couldn’t wait to get to the safety of being anywhere but snooping around in my parents’ room.
As soon as I’d latched the door to my bedroom the ringing stopped and a high pitched and preppy voice asked, “Mr. Blakely’s office. How can I help you?”
I closed my eyes as I pumped my fists in the air. I was finally taking control of my future and it felt great. I could have my cake and eat it too.
Just watch.
SIXTEEN
COLLETTE
Three days later and…let’s face it. I was a wreck.
Olivia pried out every detail about me and Ethan on Monday night, but she was no help. She thought I was crazy to be so angry about what Ethan had done and even crazier to listen to anything Bianca had said. The only thing she’d agreed on was that Ethan wanted me…as more than a friend.
On Thursday Olivia came to our house after school so we could get ready for the Morrison hosted fundraiser. My mom had insisted that I come along and no amount of pleading and badgering could get me out of it. And from her stressed expression, I didn’t want to add more to her plate.
She had, at least, let me invite Olivia along as well. At least I’d have moral support.
“Come on, wuss, let’s go in there so you can tell Ethan how sorry you are.”
I frowned over at her as she shoved me toward the front doors of the fancypants country club where the fundraiser was being held. “I’m not a wuss,” I said.
“Whatever you say, chicken.”
My moral support was a big believer in tough love. Especially these last few days when she’d become Ethan’s biggest champion.
I paused just inside the doors, my gaze sweeping across the room for any sign of him as my mother went on ahead, calling out to Mr. Lewis, a friend of hers from the academy’s board of trustees. I eyed them, wondering if there had been any progress on the ‘closing the academy’ front.
“Eww,” Olivia said.
I glanced over at her. “What?”
“Please don’t tell me you’re moving on withhim.” She pointed to Mr. Lewis.
My cheeks heated. “What? No. That’s just…I’m…” Nothing I could say could keep my mom’s secret so I just shrugged and began to scan the crowd. “I don’t see Ethan,” I said.
Olivia sighed. She seemed to have moved on from the idea of me and Mr. Lewis and our May/December romance. “Are you going to run away when you do?” She arched her brows. “Tell me now so I’m prepared to tackleyou before you hit the door.”
I frowned over at her. “Very funny.”
She shrugged. “I’m just sayin’…”
I knew what she was ‘just sayin’’ she’d been saying it for days now. I didn’t want to go down this road again—not here, and not now when I’d run into him at any moment. And yet, despite my intentions, I found myself arguing with her for the millionth time.
“He had no right to make that decision for me!”
