“Aren’t you just hilarious? Come on, think big. What would you want?”
Cush says to Kym, “She’s having some trouble with Vanessa right now.” He turns to me. “Think about it, Keatyn. That place is huge. You wouldn’t have to invite just the popular people. You could be nice and invite everyone.”
“That’s true. I could. You’re brilliant.” I lean over and give him a kiss.
“I don’t have a man in my life right now,” Kym says flatly. “Or even a hot fling. So do not sit there and kiss in front of me. It makes me feel old.”
Cush and I stop kissing and laugh.
“You’re leaving for Grandma and Grandpa’s tomorrow, aren’t you?” Kym asks.
“Yeah, I can’t wait to see them. Their ranch is so fun. Grandma is going to teach me how to make homemade pies this year. You know, Kym, Grandma says the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Maybe you need to learn to bake.”
Kym shakes her head. “If you ever see me baking for a man, promise you will hold an intervention and send me to rehab or something, because it will mean I’ve finally lost my mind.”
Wednesday, June 1st
Picture of your world.
9:50pm
Tomorrow night I’m going back home. I’ve had a great time relaxing at my grandparents’ ranch in East Texas.
Although, relaxing is definitely the wrong word.
When I’m here, I work all day long. Feeding the horses. Riding the horses. Brushing the horses. Helping Grandma cook. Hanging the sheets to dry on the clothesline outside. Grandma’s sheets smell so good. I wish I could bottle the scent and take it home with me.
Grandpa and I are sitting on the front porch drinking spiked lemonade. Grandpa says spiked lemonade is good for the soul.
“Sometimes it’s hard being the daughter of someone famous,” I tell him. I’ve been thinking a lot about friends lately. Damian’s off in Europe. Brooklyn isn’t speaking to me. Vanessa and RiAnne haven’t spoken to me either. I wanted to make a point. I wanted to show them that I was serious about wanting to be nicer to people. I wanted them to know I was fed up with them and the way they were behaving. And in the process, I behaved worse than they ever have. If it weren’t for Cush, I wouldn’t even want to go back to school. Honestly, having a tutor sounds pretty good right now.
Grandpa sips on his lemonade and looks out over his land. When he sets his glass down and starts rocking in his chair again, he says, “You need to get a bigger picture of your world.”
“What do you mean? I have a big picture of the world. I’ve traveled the world since I was a kid.”
Grandpa shakes his head. “Well, hotshot, just cause you’ve traveled the world, doesn’t mean you know jack shit about your world.”
“My world? I’m living in my world. I don’t get it.”
“At some point in their life, every person has to strike out on their own. I was on my own at sixteen, working cattle fields in Wichita, and then on oil rigs. I was my own man. You’re beginning on your journey of becoming who you’re going to be. You’re fixing to strike out on your own. You want to stop being Abby Johnston’s daughter and start being yourself? Stop bitching about it and do it.”
“That’s pretty deep for an old cowboy,” I tease.
He gets up, ruffles my hair — which is Grandpa-speak for I love you — and tells me it’s time to hit the hay.
Friday, June 3rd
A little naughty.
10am
Back at home, I’m still unpacking when Cush rings the doorbell. The girls and Nanny are at dance class, so I’m the only one home. I open the door, and Cush rushes in. He picks me up, throws me over his shoulder, runs into my room, throws me on the bed, and attacks my face with kisses.
“Dang, what’s my greeting going to be like after I’ve been away in France for three weeks?”
Cush grins at me. “What can I say? I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah.” I grab my bag. We decided to go back to his house, where we’ll have total privacy. We’re going to hang by the pool and order in dinner.
On the drive over, he says, “Did I tell you I’m having a party tomorrow night? Remember I promised the soccer team one to celebrate our season and to thank them for making me team captain?”
A party?
A party where Cush will have girls all over him.
“So you want to break up with me?”
“What? No? Why would I want to do that? I love you.” He grabs my hand and kisses it.
“I’ll be gone for three weeks, Cush. You’re the guy who has a different girl at every party.”
“If you’re worried about me cheating on you, don’t be. I’m crazy about you. No way I want to screw that up.”
I must not look convinced because he says, “Look at my phone.”