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I can set aside all of my teasing and tempting for that.
Walking back to his house, I let his comforting presence suffocate this pain inside me.
Later, I think I’ll draw the boat keys on my inner arm so that I will remember to think about how miserable my dad was at the exact moment when he realized he couldn’t take his new girlfriend on the water.
CHAPTER 8
ALEXANDER
Sunny spent all afternoon in the pool house working, and I sent her home about an hour ago. Standing in my kitchen with the setting sun shining into the empty space, I stare at the sketch on the wall Sunny did this morning. In front of me, these moving boxes taunt me. I know I should be unpacking them, busying myself and moving forward with this stupid fucking plan, but I’m frozen with indecision.
How can someone buy a house and move into it and still be unsure if he actually wants to be here or not? My life in the city is still hovering behind me like an echo, trying to lure me back with promises of sex and parties.
What an enigma my life has become. I traded in a fast-paced life in the city for the suburbs where I’m suddenly taking care of a nineteen-year-old woman in a shitty situation.
She asked me why I care so much when I hardly know her, and I could ask myself the same.
I could write a manifesto on the importance of parental boundaries based on this family alone, but it wouldn’t change a thing. From my little interaction with them, I can tell the girls were raised by an emotionally absent father and an alcoholic mom in denial of her own responsibilities.
And now look at them.
Cadence strikes me as the kind of woman who prefers to learn shit the hard way. Reckless and carefree, she has built up so much momentum partying, getting drunk, and having sex that she couldn’t stop now if she tried.
I certainly know how that goes.
And then there’s Sunny…who doesn’t seem to fit in with any of them. I just keep seeing her poor face when her dad couldn’t even greet her with a fucking hug.
My family wasn’t perfect by any means, but at least my dad had the good decency to give me attention, and there was no doubt in my mind that the guy loved me. Cadence is too busy filling the void of Daddy’s love by filling other things, and Sunny is…well, I don’t know. The girl barely speaks. She never leaves her house but seems pretty fucking eager to move out. So how the hell is she going to do that if she’s too busy waiting for him to come home? I wish I knew what was stopping her.
Just then, as if summoned, Cadence walks out onto her patio, followed by a small horde of people her age. I watch from the window of my kitchen as a pool party breaks out in their yard. There must be a dozen of them out there, all with drinks in hand. Their fast-paced pop music blares all the way into my yard.
I scan the group for Sunny, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Even still, I can’t seem to stop watching them. My eyes widen when Cadence starts making out with the blond kid against the side of the pool.
I glance hastily up at Sunny’s window, hoping she stays inside.
When there’s no sign of her, I grow restless and step outside, knowing that the moment I do, Cadence will see me and invite me over.
I’m already halfway across the yard before she has a chance to speak.
Her eyes light up when she watches me step through the hedges. Well, they light up as much as they can seeing as how she’s tanked.
“Come swimming, Alexander Caldwell,” she croons, hanging her tits forward as she climbs out of the pool. Her tiny white bikini is about six shades lighter than her tan burnt-red skin, but she stumbles as she tries to walk down to the grass.
She’s clearly been drinking all morning as I have to steady her with a hand under her elbow to keep her from falling over. The blond kid watches from her yard.
“Wanna go inside and get high?” she asks me.
“Where’s Sunny?” I reply, ignoring her invitation.
Cadence furrows her brow and blinks slowly. “Why? You’re awfully worried about my little sister.” She’s implying something with that tone, which is pretty fucking ironic since I’m the one trying to keep her safe. And having her around this party of drunk young guys is not the way to do it.
“Yeah, what the fuck?” the blond guy drawls. He isn’t just hugging her for comfort now. He’s touching the exposed flesh on her stomach. She swats at him, but he teases her anyway.
“You should go home,” I tell him assertively. “And you…” I add, staring at Cadence. “Should send everyone home before someone gets hurt.”
They both scoff at me, insulted, but I don’t care. I’m watching the house vigilantly and when Sunny appears through the sliding glass door from the house, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Brushing past the two of them, I march toward Sunny.
