The Price of Love (A Price Novel Book 1) (7 page)

After a few moments, he excused himself and said, “I guess I’d better get ready for bed.” Which was probably a good thing, because I wasn’t really thinking clearly anymore, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to control myself much longer.

The next morning, I woke up to an empty apartment. I felt sad, like I did on the last day of camp as a kid, thinking about all the fun things waiting there but knowing I couldn’t stay and continue to enjoy them. I had to return to reality.

I got back to Kenedy’s apartment around ten and found Holly there, waiting for me. “I am so glad to see you. Miss Thing will be here within the hour, and I sure wasn’t looking forward to telling her you weren’t back from your sleepover with Mr. Price.” I cut her an ugly look.

I sat down on the couch, nervously picking at my fingernail polish, awaiting Kenedy’s arrival while Holly flipped through a magazine and told me about some new eye-makeup remover she’d gotten from one of the stylists that day.

She reached over and stopped me from picking at my nails. I looked up at her and smiled. “You know, I really think that I enjoy your company more than your sister’s, but don’t tell her I said that.” She gave me a big hug.

Within minutes, Kenedy burst through the door, taking over the apartment with the force of a hurricane. She had an exasperated look on her face, and seemed extremely irritated. She took off her shoes and threw them into her room and began dragging in all this stuff out of the hall. Clothes and makeup and shopping bags were everywhere, and she was ordering us around like slaves.

I definitely liked life at Slayde’s better.

I hadn’t seen her in over a year; her hair had gotten really long and was dyed several different shades of auburn. She looked like she’d lost ten pounds. She looked great.
Of course!

Of course I got no, “Hey, how’ve you been? Sorry I left you hanging,” from her but instead just some long rant about how rude people were. The people she’d been traveling with had stopped three times and took their sweet time bringing her back from the airport. She couldn’t believe anyone was that inconsiderate.
Really?

After what seemed like hours of listening to her go on and on about all of the wonderful things she had seen and done, I thought I was going to be sick. When I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, I got excited — I knew who it was.

Like a kid, I ran into the bathroom to answer. “Hello,” I whispered.

“Is the coast clear?” Slayde whispered.

“I can barely hear you. Why are you whispering?”

“I don’t know. Why are you whispering?” He laughed.

“You know why I’m whispering!”

“Tell Satan’s spawn I said hello. Better yet, come open the door, and I’ll tell her myself.”

“Slayde, you better not be outside that door,” I said, and he laughed. I didn’t think he was really outside, but I wouldn’t put anything past him.

“I’m not, but I will be soon if you don’t find some time to sneak away and see me. I’m serious. You may be scared of her, but I’m not.”

“I am not scared of her. I’m just smart enough not to stir up a hornet’s nest.”

“Well, I’m allergic to hornets, so I’ll stay far away! But I meant what I said, and I’m waiting on you to text me when you can. I swear I’ll come knock on that door.” And he hung up.

When I came out, Holly was leaning on the back of the couch, twisting her hair, pretending to be interested in what Kenedy was saying. She looked up and winked at me. She knew what I had been in there doing. I liked Holly. She was way more fun than my sister. I didn’t see how she could stand living with Kenedy. I knew how hard that could be.

*****

After Kenedy returned home, it was harder to see Slayde than I thought it would be. I felt awful lying to her, but that was the only way I could get away with seeing him. We always met at a little park a few miles away from their building, which meant we had to take the Metro to get there. I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but it did unless I told her, and I was not ready to do that.

I was in Paris to spend time with Kenedy, and I was going to do as much of that as I could. After she had settled into being home again, I decided to try to do something together with her, just the two of us. I texted Slayde to tell him that I would probably not see him that day, that I was spending some time with my sister.

He texted back,
Good luck.

I went into her room where she was putting on her makeup. “So, I thought if you had time, we could go shopping today. I know you know exactly where to shop.”

She stopped applying her eye makeup and looked at me in the mirror. “You don’t like to shop.”

“I know, but I would like to visit with you some. That’s why I’m here.”

“I don’t mean this to sound ugly, Arden, but this may be a break for you, but it’s not for me. I’m so busy. I’ve got too much going on to waste my days off entertaining you.”
Really?
“But don’t take that the wrong way.”

“I understand,” I said quietly as I headed out of her room.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Just for a walk. I’ll see you later.” A smile hid my hurt feelings.

“Don’t be mad, Arden. This isn’t about you,” she shouted after me.

“Oh, I know. Never is,” I said under my breath as I was walking out the door.

I met Slayde as I was getting off the elevator. “Hey, where are you going?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Not sure yet.”

“Thought you were spending the day with your sister.”

“Obviously she’s too busy. I think I’m in the way.”

He laughed. “Well, I’ll be glad to take you off of her hands.” He grabbed my hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” I asked as he dragged me down the street.

He smiled at me over his shoulder. “Does it matter?”

With that beautiful contagious smile, no!
And I went with him.

After we’d been walking a few minutes, he said, “Are you hungry?”

“Yes, I haven’t eaten all day. I’m starving.”

“Let’s go find something to eat and then go find something to get into.”

As we were finishing up our meal, I got a text from Kenedy. It said,
Sorry for blowing you off. Meet me at the apartment at five, and we will go to dinner and do a little shopping.
I read it aloud.

Slayde responded, “Do you really want to do that? I think we’d have more fun.”

“I know, but I really need to spend some time with her.”

“I understand,” he said, sounding disappointed.

We walked around and talked for about an hour after we finished eating and then went back.

I was dressed and ready at five. However, she didn’t show up or answer my texts. By seven o’clock, I had gone from hurt to pissed. Not long after, I got a call from Slayde. “No Kenedy?”

“How’d you know?”

“Because I just saw her at a bar down the street with a guy from our building. I don’t think she’s coming back anytime soon. You wanna come over?”

It only took me a second to decide. “Be there in a minute.”

When I got there, he opened the door and handed me a glass of wine. “I told you that you should have stayed with me.” He hugged me.

“I know. I just hoped we could hang out a little.”

“Well, I’m sure that you will when it’s convenient for her.” He laughed.

I rolled my eyes. “I’d hoped she would have grown up some.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” he said, leading me to the couch.

“Maybe not.”

We both sat down, and he looked at me with a silly smile and held up those damned decks of cards. “Why not?” I said and took them from him.

After four glasses of wine and two hours spent on a stupid card tower, I said, “I guess I better go. I want to beat her home.”

“Why? Just stay.”

“And when she asks me where I was, what will I tell her?” I asked, straightening the cards so that they would fit back in their boxes.

“Here.” He grabbed my hands. “Tell her you were here. Why should she care?”

“You’re just a little troublemaker,” I said and handed him the cards.

When I went back to Kenedy’s apartment, she still wasn’t back, so I went to sleep.

When I heard her banging around, I glanced at the clock. Three o’clock. Assuming she was drunk, I didn’t get up.

Then I heard her say, “No, let’s go into my room.”

What?
I sat up right before she and some guy fell onto the bed. “Kenedy!” I shouted.

“Damn, Arden, you scared me. I forgot you were here.”

“Obviously,” I said, pulling on some pajama bottoms.

Grabbing my arm, she pulled me out of the room and shouted back at her friend, “I’ll be right back.” After shutting her door behind us, she whispered, “Hey, will ya sleep on the couch tonight? He’s so hot.” She reeked of alcohol, and I sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to do this. I just threw my hands up. I mean, did I really have a choice here?

“You’re the best,” she said. She went back in her room, shutting the door. Of course she didn’t bother giving me a pillow or a blanket. Was I dreaming?
She’s really a selfish bitch!

Part of me thought about going back to Slayde’s, but I decided against it and went to the couch. I’d no sooner fallen asleep then Kenedy and her “friend” decided they were hungry. They turned on the light in the kitchen, and it shined directly into my face. “Kenedy!”

“Oh, sorry, go get in my bed.”

Oh, gross!
“Uh, no thanks,” I shouted.

I grabbed a throw pillow and put it over my face and dozed back off.

When I got up the next morning, I was alone in the apartment. I took a quick shower and went to go meet Slayde at the park for lunch.

He was smiling like always when I walked up. “You sleep good?” he asked.

“Far from it.”

“Why not?”

“Let’s just say Kenedy brought home a friend, and I got the boot.” He burst out laughing and I playful slapped his chest. “Really funny.”

“I’m sorry. I just wish I could have seen that.”

I leaned away from him. “Oh, really?”

Still laughing, he shook his head. “No, not that. I mean, your expression when she kicked you out.” After he quit laughing, he looked at me seriously. “I’m sure she feels really bad about her behavior today, though.”

We both laughed, knowing that was the last thing she was worried about.

He was right. She never apologized.

I barely saw her at all that week. I was getting dressed to go meet Slayde for dinner when Kenedy and Holly came in from shopping. I had hoped to be gone before they got back. “We’re going to eat and go to a club — you wanna go?” Kenedy asked me.

“No, thanks. I’m going to an art gallery with this girl I met. Then she and I are going to eat and hang out at one of her friend’s. I’ll probably just stay there.”

“Well, that’s a cute outfit to waste on a friend. Are you sure you’re not really going on a date?” She smiled and winked at me.
Shit!
Could she tell I was lying? What if she asked her name? What would I say?
Think, Arden!

“Thanks.” I tried to get out of there as quickly as possible and without making eye contact with Holly. She knew I was going to meet Slayde, and she had obviously done what she said she would — she stayed out of it.

“Where are you going to eat?” Kenedy asked.

“I forget.”

“Then how do you know where you’re meeting your friend?”

I was getting nervous. She was asking too many questions. “She said she was meeting her at the art gallery, Kenedy. Are you her mother?” Holly asked.

“No, but I just think it’s odd. Why don’t you and your friend go with us? I thought you wanted to spend time together.”

“I do, but I already promised her. Tomorrow maybe? I’m already late. You have fun. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I left before she could start another round of questions. This was exhausting.
What am I doing anyway?
I obviously felt that dating Slayde was wrong, or I wouldn’t be lying to her. What was I going to do? Maybe I should just tell Slayde I couldn’t do this anymore. But was that what I wanted to do?
No.
It definitely wasn’t.

By the time I got to our little meeting spot in the park, I was late. He was sitting on a bench, playing with his phone. He looked up at me when I walked up. I thought he looked annoyed at first, but then he smiled at me. “I was worried you weren’t coming.”

“Sorry. Kenedy was asking a million questions.”

“Where does she think you are?”

“At an art gallery.”

“Oh. I see.” He looked down and picked at skin on his finger. He looked like that hurt his feelings.

I put my hand on his shoulder. “I just don’t want to fight with her.”

“You’d rather meet me in some dark alley and hide? Are you scared she would be mad? Or are you embarrassed?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Embarrassed? Why the heck would I be embarrassed?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but sometimes I feel like you are.”

“Really?” That surprised me. I didn’t want him to feel that way.

“A little.” He was serious. For once he wasn’t smiling, and he wouldn’t make eye contact with me, which was not normal.

“Well, that’s the furthest thing from the truth. And we’re just friends, anyway. Why would I ever be embarrassed about having a fun friend like you?”

He took a deep breath and shook his head a little. “Let’s go eat.”

I didn’t even think that I would need to worry about running into Kenedy and Holly in freaking Paris, but when Slayde and I were leaving the restaurant, I saw them walking across the street toward us.

I grabbed Slayde’s arm and turned and dragged him back up the sidewalk away from them and into a little shop. He didn’t put up a fight, but he was dragging along like dead weight. Did he want her to see us?
Maybe.

When I looked up at him, he was just staring at me like I was crazy. He wasn’t at all amused. He took a deep breath and shook his head again.

I was afraid he was mad, but not as afraid as I was of my sister.

I was pretty sure she hadn’t seen us, because if she had, she would definitely have made sure we all knew she’d caught me lying. Caught me hanging out with her old boyfriend. What was I going to do?