Harrison isn’t the kind of guy who’s going to change his mind for a girlfriend or a wife. If he wants to do something, he’ll do it. He doesn’t wait for permission.
Part of me admires that about him. Part of me is jealous of him. He’s so cool and confident and me?
Well, I’m sitting on my bed with my two best friends who, until tonight, didn’t even know I was an orphan.
I’m not doing so hot in the friendship and success at life departments, but I’m trying.
“That’s really sweet,” I tell Karen. “And yes, I want to go, but I can’t.”
“Because of Frank,” Emilia says.
“Because of Frank.”
“This guy sounds like a piece of shit,” Karen points out the obvious, but I have to love how loyal and sweet she’s being to me.
“He kind of is,” I say.
“You deserve better,” Emilia tells me gently. “You deserve to find happiness.”
She’s happy because she’s found someone who makes her heart sing and while I’m not at all jealous of my friend, there’s still a part of me that hopes I’ll be able to find something like that.
Someone.
Anyone.
Him.
“You should probably go,” I finally say, climbing off the bed. “It’s late, and we’re going to get our asses kicked if they catch us.”
“You’re no fun,” Karen grumbles, but she slides off the bed and closes the tin of cookies.
“Until next time,” Emilia says, and then the two of them hug me.
“Everything’s going to be fine,” Emilia promises.
“Really,” Karen agrees.
“Yeah,” I say, but I don’t really believe that.
Not really.
Not inside.
Something tells me that whatever’s going to happen between me and Harrison, well, it’s not going to be anything like I expect.
Chapter Six
Harrison
THE O’CONNER MANSION has been in my family for more than fifty years, and it shows. It’s a huge structure that looms over carefully crafted gardens. The mansion itself is big enough to get lost in, and I have.
Many times.
Now, though, it feels awkward and strange to be looking at it. Adalee is standing beside me, and she’s just as tense as I am, although I don’t know why. She barely spoke to me all week. We were both busy with exams, I suppose, but there’s something else going on, and I hate that I’m going to have to get to the bottom of it.
I’d much prefer to just enjoy my winter holiday. I want to lounge around, do nothing, and eat. Maybe I’ll sneak some of my dad’s liquor and maybe I’ll find someone to bring some weed by. Aside from that, I wanted to have zero plans.
Then Adalee happened.