Stuck With The Four Hotties

Charlie looks so skeptical right now, like he wouldn’t agree to this arrangement if you paid him.

“We’ll only be there for a week,” Miranda adds, stepping forward to hook her arm through mine. Creed notices, narrows his eyes, and huffs as he looks away. Huh. Okay. I refocus my attention on Dad. “My mom and I, we’ll take good care of her, I promise. And we won’t let Creed bother her ever again, I swear it to you.” Charlie frowns and reaches up to rub at the back of his head.

“I could call Kathleen, I suppose,” he starts, looking over at me. I lift my chin and meet his gaze. Don’t worry about me, Dad, I think, but my heart is breaking as I think about his words. “My little girl, my heart.” It never occurred to me how much my being bullied must’ve affected him, too. “I’ll check in with her and see,” he says, but he doesn’t sound convinced. “Now, if the four of you could leave, I’d appreciate it.”

He heads for the door, and stands aside while Tristan, Zayd, Creed, and Zack file out.

Miranda, Windsor, and I wait until we hear the front door close behind them, and then the rumble of Charlie’s voice as he greets Mrs. Cabot over

the phone.

“My mom once convinced a Japanese businessman who didn’t speak English to invest in her company during their first meeting.” Miranda glances over at me with a grin. “If anyone can get you a ticket to spend the summer with us, it’s her.”

“If not, I can always make a royal decree,” Wind jokes, and I roll my eyes again. I do that a lot when he’s around, but mostly it’s out of a burgeoning sense of affection. He’s becoming a good friend. “Of course, you Americans don’t have a lick of respect for authority, so I doubt that would work.”

“Here we go with the American comments again,” I mumble as Windsor makes himself comfortable on my bed, folding his arms behind his head and staring up at my ceiling. He even kicks his boots off like he plans on staying a while. “Aren’t you supposed to be in England for the summer anyway?”

“Says who?” Windsor asks as Miranda takes in my bedroom with awe. It’s the first time she’s ever been over to my house, and I like it. I’ve never had a girlfriend to do sleepovers or anything with before. While I was never bullied in elementary school the way I was in middle or high school, I’ve always had trouble making friends. Until now, that is. Anyway, if Miranda’s sticking around for a while, I’d love to show her the Train Car.

“You did, like last week,” Miranda says, pushing his feet off the end of the bed and taking the vacated spot.

“Oh, did I? I lied.” Windsor yawns and we all pause as we hear Charlie laugh from the direction of the living room. “I’ve decided I can’t possibly miss out on the action this summer.” He rolls to his side, props his head on his hand, and looks at me from glittering hazel eyes. “Besides, there’s going to be a lot of mating rituals around Marnye that I want to see.”

“Mating rituals?” I choke out, and he laughs, reaching up to ruffle his crimson hair.

“You have so many beautiful men lusting after you. There will be posturing, gestures, come-ons. I can’t let that happen without throwing my hat in the ring, too.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I snort, but my heart is racing a little, and I decide there’s something weirdly intimate about Windsor York lying on my bed. All of a sudden, I just sort of want him off of it and out the door. I want-no, I need-to gossip with Miranda about all of this. “You already said you weren’t interested in dating me.”

“No.” Windsor sits up and his jacket falls enticingly over one shoulder, revealing the white tank he’s wearing underneath. “I never. I would never. I merely observed that you weren’t interested in dating me. That, and I warned it would be short-lived, but beautiful.”

“Wow, how romantic,” Miranda spits, giving him a death glare. “Remind me to seek your advice next time I want to ask a girl out. Hey, I don’t plan on dating you for long, but want to try it anyway?” She rolls her eyes, and I grin. I’m pretty sure Windsor’s joking.

At least … I think he is? He is, right?

Our conversation is momentarily paused when Charlie walks back in the room, tapping his cell against the palm of one hand. The way he looks at me in that moment, it’s like he’s scared for me, but he knows he can’t hold me back. I feel a surge of sadness come over me, followed immediately by excitement mixed with anxiety.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

“Okay,” he says, and my brows go up, “you can go with Miranda, but Kathleen is in charge of you the whole time. If I get one whiff of trouble out there, I’ll come and get you myself. Oh, and if those boys so much as utter one rude word in your direction …” Dad trails off, but I smile and move over to give him a huge hug which he returns.

“I won’t be gone too long,” I whisper, “and then I’ll be back so we can go to the lake together.”

“Okay, Marnye-bear,” he says, giving me a kiss on the head. But I notice that his eyes fall on Windsor … and narrow. “I’m going to go take a shower. Just … if Miranda goes, then leave the door open, okay?” He lets go of me and turns to head toward the bathroom while I look between his retreating back … and Windsor’s smiling face.

“Yes, please do, leave the door open,” Windsor purrs, and I grab my hairbrush from the vanity, and chuck it at him. He catches it in one hand and laughs, while Miranda and I exchange a look.

Oh yeah, we’re in need of some serious girl time.

Especially since I’m pretty sure my boy-free summer has just turned

into a boy-centric one.