“That’s weird. I’ve only seen him in asuitonce.” I blink at her and get lost in my own confusion.
Seeing him in that suit, before the grad mixer, was surprising. I almost did a double take when he walked out of his bedroom buttoning the cuff of his jacket.
I had to remind myself five times on the walk to campus to stop staring at his wrists. And stop studying his expensive watch moving over his skin. And stop replaying the few seconds I observed him working his fingers over the buttons, so precise and careful.
That fancy silver watch makes sense now. I thought it was weird for a college student to have something so luxurious. I choked it up to rich parents originally, and I wasn’t wrong. I just didn’t realizehowrich his parents were.
“His dad,” I say, and immediately notice the way Liliana’s face drops. “Is some up there businessman, right?”
“Yeah. Keller McCarthy. He’s the co-founder of VK Corp.”
My spoon gets lost in my soup when I drop it. “That online shopping platform hosting thing?”
She sighs and nods. “That’s the one.”
I gawk. I’m sure VK doesn’t platform every online business in the world, but it has to be a majority of them. Every single one I know and shop from, at least.
It’s enough information for me to figure out why so many eyes followed us at the mixer.
“Holy shit. That’s why Jeremiah basically sprung a hard on when he saw Locke on Tuesday. He would not stop going on and on about Locke’s dad.”
My best friend’s shoulders sag, and she places her spoon down, too. “Oh no. People were bothering him about Keller?”
At Liliana’s pitying tone, my shock morphs into concern. “A few people, yeah. Jeremiah came up to us and started saying…” The first sentences of what he said to us weigh on my conscience again. I push those feelings aside and pretend they didn’t follow me the whole night. “Stuff about his dad. I kind of zoned out because he was rambling, but it was all good stuff. I figured it was a family business friend or something.”
“Good stuff and Keller McCarthy should never be used in the same sentence.” She mumbles the words out, but I catch them. My back straightens.
“I know you said Grant isn’t a fan of his dad but, it’s that bad?”
She sighs, long and deep. “You couldn’t even imagine. I really, really, try not to get myself in the middle of their family issues. That’s Grant’s personal business and he’s still trying to navigate his relationships with his siblings. So, I don’t have much to tell.”
“Of course not.” Liliana and I tell each other everything—about ourselves. We understand there are some lines we can’t cross, especially not for the sake of pure gossip. “Please don’t feel like you have to spill some family drama to me.”
She waves her hands. “I don’t. And I won’t tell you anything I shouldn’t.” Her teeth bite down onto her bottom lip. “But just know their dad is more of a CEO than he’ll ever be of a father. The three of them—the siblings—they’re the only people who fully understand that.”
There are some things about Locke I can easily recall. The way his hands mess with his glasses even when they’re sitting perfectly on his face. His eyes dancing around the room before he says something short and clipped, and the flush of red on his face immediately after. The near-robotic way he snapped in and out of position during the mixer when his dad’s name was brought up.
The reclusive, introverted way he carries himself aligns with what Liliana says. I can recognize I grew up with a large family, lots of friends, and a never-ending desire to meet new people.
I’m extroverted because I was raised around open arms. Up until the beginning of last school year, I can’t think of a time where I didn’t feel inherently welcomed. The thought of not having that throughout life, and especially at home, opens a dark hole in my stomach.
My heart burns. “I hate that. He’s so nice.”
“Isn’t he? He’s super shy, but I promise once you get to know him, he’s fun to be around. Please don’t let his stoicism scare you off.” Liliana smiles softly.
“It hasn’t.” I laugh and swirl my noodles around my chopsticks. “I mean, when we first met, for a bit, I was afraid he’d feel a sort of way about living with me.” I leave out the,“because I’m a woman.”
“I think he’s slowly getting more comfortable, though.”
“I know you’re going to say I shouldn’t have worried to begin with, but I wasreallyworried about you living with a guy in the dorms.” Every muscle in her face relaxes, as if the distress is physically slipping off her features. “But you living with Locke is arguably the best thing that could’ve happened. I know him and I trust him. He’s great.”
Something warm spreads throughout my chest.
“Don’t gas him up just because he’s your future brother-in-law.”
“I’m not! Seriously. Since he started hanging out with Grant regularly in the last few months, I have too, and he’s so sweet.” I smile through my last bite of food, and despite the obvious answer that Lil is biased towards him, I believe her. “This situation is even better than just you living with someone we know isn’t a creep.”
I wipe the corners of my mouth and laugh. “Wow, even better than that? That’s so much to live up to, though. How could it possibly get better?”
