How does someone respond to a comment like that?No, you look amazing.Your plastic surgeon is a genius.I just smile politely in return.The less I say, the better.Silence is like wearing a cloak of invisibility.The clutch purse isn’t held all night.Eventually, it gets left on some table or stashed in a dark corner.
“I hope you don’t expect us to continue on with your pro bono cases, Eli,” Kenneth says with forced humor, but we all know he’s totally serious.“Heard the police are asking about Reeves again, something about breaking a kid’s arm.”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” my father answers and immediately opens his mouth to change the subject.
“You’ll need to make some new friends, Sadie, now that your dad’s going to be in the public eye,” Kenneth continues as if my father never spoke.“Don’t want to be associated with the unsavory clientele we represent.”
My mother covers her mouth to stifle a cough.A signal to my father to redirect the conversation immediately.
I swallow the food in my mouth.It’s lost all flavor.Every set of eyes is on me, except for my parents’.My stomach feels bottomless and swirling with nerves.I shouldn’t be surprised that they all know about Jonathan and Collin.They work together.But I guess, naively, I hoped my dad had protected the guys from being discussed in the weekly meetings.That it’s something he does because he cares about them as much as I do.And he believes they’re really not bad.They just have the worst luck.Always in the wrong place, pulled into the wrong situations a little too often.But now I know, it was never just between us.
“I like my friends,” I say with a note of cheer to let him know he can take his statement and shove it.
“As do I,” my father adds, giving me a wink.“More wine, Shamus?”My father picks up the bottle and tops his former partner off, effectively ending the conversation.
Chapter Five
Ireturn to my role of invisible daughterfor the remainder of dinner, until my mother finally gives me the nod of release.I excuse myself.Say all the polite things people utter when they depart and try not to speed walk out of the dining room.
I immediately change into sweatpants and a tank top, kicking my dress across the room.I let the irritation come out from where I stuffed it all through dinner and kick the shoes too.Who are they to judge anyway?They don’t know anything about my friends.The irritation has been overwrought by anger as I pace my room, grumbling.
No one gets to tell me who I can and can’t be friends with.Especially not an arrogant jerk who probably doesn’t have a sincere friend in his contacts.He can’t even keep a wife for longer than five years, this being his third.And I guarantee she’s only with him for the Botox.Okay, that was mean.Maybe she does love him.Or maybe he’s just lonely.
I flop down on my bed, my mini tirade exhausting me.I don’t do anger well.I end up feeling guilty for being angry even if the person deserves it.I’d make a horrible lawyer, regardless of my family’s legacy.I’ll let my brother fill those shoes.He was eager to declare prelaw with his acceptance to Columbia.Not quite far enough away.
A tap on my window flips me over, my heart skipping a beat.
Jonathan’s face comes into focus.I jump up and race over to the window as he begins to ease it open.I help push it up from my side.
“What are you doing here?”I ask frantically as he slips gracefully into my room.“They could have seen you.”
“They didn’t,” he says with confidence.“They’re in the… whatever that room is where there’s just furniture.I made sure.”
He closes the window before facing me with a smile.“Surprised?”
“Very.”My heart is still freaking out.
“Good surprise?”He inspects me like he’s afraid he over-stepped.I take a breath to release the flood of panic and smile.He takes this as an invitation to step close to me and wraps me in his arms, bending down for a kiss.
My arms are around his neck without hesitation.My stomach swirls, and my head feels light, like the drop off the top of a roller coaster.I let out a small squeak when he lifts me up, his hands under my thighs.He sits on my bed.I straddle him and peel off his jacket, our mouths never parting.I can barely feel the edge of the cut healing on his upper lip.It’s easy to forget that he’s injured when he kisses me like this.I think I could figure out how to do anything in life with him attached to me, the most proficient kissing multitasker.And if I can’t, who needs to do anything other than kiss anyway?
My fingers find his hair.His hands are hot on my back.I move ever so slightly, and our breaths falter.This is getting way too fiery, considering my parents and their guests are somewhere in the house.With great willpower, I pull away.My lips buzz, and my heart is a hummingbird once again.
“I can’t believe you climbed the tree to sneak in my room.”My words are breathy.I don’t mean them to sound sexy, but it’s hard to talk while still catching my breath.
“You do it when you sneak out, so I figured I could use it to sneak in.”He nuzzles his face into my neck, and I hold him close, my eyes drifting shut.
“Your room is kinda messy.That’s… unexpected.”He’s peering over my shoulder.I cringe.
“I’m not the neatest person.Thought you knew that.”I’m not outwardly messy.Just in the places I can hide it.
“I would never describe you as disorganized.”
“That’s different.”I lean back to look at him, running my fingers along the side of his head, through the soft buzz of hair.My thumb grazes his healing lip.“I’m organized because I’m messy.”
He laughs.I gently cover his mouth with my hand and snap my attention to the door.When I don’t hear anyone on the stairs, I take my hand away.
“Sorry,” he says in an exaggerated whisper, grinning wildly.
