“I think age is just a number. And I’ve never seen my son this happy before. You already feel like part of the family. Why not make it official?”
That was sweet. But a small part of me wondered if she wanted me to make things official with Matt because of my new last name. And the fact that the Caldwells wanted nothing to do with the Pruitts. Because we were…mobsters? I shook away the thought. It was ridiculous. Mobster. The word rolled around in my head. I didn’t know what to think of my dad. But the more I thought of the obsessive security, the way he treated his staff, the secrecy, all the contracts…it all seemed more than what a normal businessman would need.
“I don’t know anything about planning a wedding,” I said. I hadn’t really thought about any of the details. Just that I knew for sure I wanted to be with Matt for the rest of my life.
“That’s what I’m here for. And Justin seems to be keen on being your planner. Talk to Matthew. Let’s get a date in the books.”
I nodded. But I couldn’t even imagine planning a wedding right now. It felt like Miller had just dropped a bomb on my lap. And I had schoolwork. And Isabella was still trying to kill me. And… My thoughts trailed off. What was I even thinking? I loved Matthew Caldwell. His mom was right. What was the point in waiting? Waiting was wasting time. And I wasn’t one to do that.
“I’ll talk to Matt,” I said.
She smiled. “Wonderful. Oh look, they’re all done. You look stunning, sweetheart.” She gestured toward the mirror.
I stared at my reflection. The changes were subtle, but they were there. I looked like I belonged at Empire High. I bit the inside of my lip. But was that really what I wanted?
When I had decided to stay in New York instead of getting on a bus and going home, I’d told myself Isabella couldn’t dictate my life. That I belonged here just as much as she did. Now I looked the part. But I wasn’t sure if it was what I wanted anymore. I didn’t care about revenge. Or getting even with her. All I cared about was Matt. And he liked me because I was different. Now I just looked…the same as everyone else.
“You look amazing,” Kennedy said as she sat down in the chair on the other side of me. She was looking perfectly glamorous with her new highlights.
“Yeah?”
“It’s like you only…even more perfect.”
I laughed. “It’s not too much?”
“What? No? Matt’s going to love the new you.”
I hope so.
***
I carried my bags of clothes up to the guest room I was supposed to be staying in. Then I wandered into Matt’s room. He wasn’t there, so I walked down the hall to Mason’s room. I knocked and let myself in.
The two of them were playing videogames.
Mason cursed at something on the screen. He didn’t even look over his shoulder to see if it was me before he started talking. “Brooklyn, we’ve talked about this. You gotta knock. What if I had a sexy guest?”
I laughed. “You never have guests.” I’d learned a lot about Mason recently. Yes, it was true that he was a total player. But he never brought whatever girls he was currently sleeping with to the house. I was pretty sure he didn’t want to give his mom a heart attack. And despite the fact that he was a total womanizer, he treated me like I was the sister he never had. There was a heart of gold under his tough exterior. And for some reason it made me happy that I was one of the only ones that got to see it.
Mason laughed and turned to look at me over his shoulder. “Damn.” His eyes wandered down my body.
The way he stared at me used to bother me. But I’d also learned that he was a good guy. And he’d never step on his brother’s toes when it came to me. The fact that he called me “sis” all the time helped.
Matt’s gaze followed Mason’s.
It felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest.
They were both just staring at me. And I didn’t know if it was a good kind of stare or a bad one. “We got makeovers,” I said to break the awkward silence. I did a little spin when they still said nothing. And then I immediately felt more awkward because my skirt was so short and spinning made it rise up even more. Screw me. I walked over to the couch and sat down in the empty spot between them. “Someone just blew up,” I said and gestured to the screen.
“Shit,” Matt said. He hit something on his controller and then tossed it to the side.
Mason laughed. He stood up and stretched, dropping his controller on the couch too. “I’m gonna go get a soda. You guys want anything?”
“We’re good,” Matt said.
“I’ll literally be back in five minutes. And this is my room. So don’t fuck on my couch.” He tossed a pillow at Matt’s head, but Matt caught it before it hit his face.
I laughed, but it caught in my throat weird. I didn’t know what Matt was thinking. And his silence was unnerving.
“You look…different,” Matt finally said when Mason closed the door. His fingers traced my thigh right where my new thousand-dollar skirt stopped.
I swallowed hard. I’d only cut off a few inches, but the layers in my hair and the new makeup definitely made me look different. “A good different or bad different?”
“I liked you exactly the way you were,” he said.
Crap.
His fingers slid higher up my thigh. “But I think you get more beautiful every day. With or without makeup. Or a new haircut. You’re beautiful, baby.”
I wasn’t sure why, but his words made tears pool in the corners of my eyes. “So why do you look mad?”
“Because your skirt is too short.” His fingers bunched my skirt up as he pushed me backward. My back hit the couch cushions as he leaned over me. “And your heels are too high.” He grabbed my leg, hoisting it over his shoulder and kissing the inside of my thigh.
Fuck.
“And your shirt is cut too low.” His nose traced the curve of my exposed cleavage. “Only I should be allowed to see you like this. So you either need to go change into pajamas right the fuck now. Or wait for me in my room just like this. On the bed. With your legs spread.”