Love Me(The Keatyn Chronicles #4)

Eventually, Cooper says, “Keatyn, we need to get going.”

I give the girls hugs and tell them I’ll be back soon. Because I don't care what anyone says. I'm coming back soon.

This time, it’s not a happy goodbye. This time when I leave there are tears.

“Don't go, Kiki. Don't go,” the triplets plead.

I’m glad that Gracie is asleep. I don’t want to ruin the end of her birthday. I reach in my pocket and pull out four heart lockets, handing one to each girl and one to Mom. “These are for you girls. I have one just like it. Do you remember that James got it for me for my birthday?”

The girls nod.

“Be really careful, but if you open the heart, there’s a picture inside.

“Kiki!” Avery declares, being the first one to get her locket open. I take her locket and clasp it around her neck.

“I have to go back on my adventure, but I got you these so you would know that you're always in my heart. I love you.”

They cry. I cry. I give them hugs.

Finally, Nanny takes them to their room.

Everyone else walks into the entryway.

Mom gives me a hug. “It was so good to see you, honey.”

Brooklyn says, “I'll walk you to the car.”

He takes my hand and leads me to the car. It's a rare occasion that I haven't planned out a script in detail. That I don't know exactly what I’m going to say.

I smile at him. Run my hand through his shaggy blond hair.

"God, I've missed you," he says and presses his lips against mine. It's a hot kiss, full of a passion I've never felt from him before. He pulls back just as quickly. "I'm sorry. I said I wouldn't."

“It's okay, B. Thank you for today. For being here. For giving me a little happy piece of my life back. You have no idea how much that means to me."

"I love you, Keats. I always will."

"I'm pretty sure I'll always love you too."



Pull the trigger to shoot.

7pm



I’m walking up the stairway to board our plane when a black town car pulls up to a sleek jet that has just landed. A man gets off and starts down the stairs. “Oh my God.”

The man turns in my direction, locks eyes with me, and smiles.

“Cooper! It’s him. He’s just getting off that plane. They were right about me. I led him here. I shouldn’t have come!”

Cooper drags me into the plane and yells at the copilot, “We need to take off. Now!”

I somehow get out of Cooper’s grip and back to the door. I see Vincent is on his phone.

I wave at him to get his attention. Then I raise my middle finger to my lips, kiss it, and hold it out to him. Then I mouth, Come and get me. I don’t even care if it pisses him off.

I want him pissed. I want him to follow me.

I want him far away from my family.

Vincent bounds down the stairs and starts running toward me just as the door is shut and the stairs are rolled away.

I grab my phone, hit 911, and call Garrett.

“Is he there?”

“He’s at the airport in Vancouver.”

“Your locket says you’re at school.”

“I took it off. Doesn’t matter. He’s coming toward our plane. He left Miami. Must’ve heard I was here. Call the airport. Say it’s a national emergency or something. Just get us off the ground.”

“What’s your tail number?”

I run to the cockpit and ask the pilot as politely as I can, “Can you please give him our tail number?” I hand him my phone. Then I run and look out the window. Vincent is standing outside the plane, gesturing big with his hands, and screaming into his phone.

I think he’s trying to get them to roll the stairs back.

“Cooper?”

Cooper nods at me and grabs a black bag that he didn’t have on the way here. He unzips it quickly, pulls out a matte black gun, and hands it to me. “The safety is on. Click here to unlock it. Pull the trigger to shoot. There are fifteen bullets in the magazine. If something happens to me, shoot until you take him down. Do not stop shooting.”

He pulls two more guns out of the bag. A smaller one, which he shoves into the back of his pants and a larger one that he keeps in his hand. “God dammit. I knew I should have taken you to the gun range.”

The copilot walks back with my phone. “I gave it to him but all flights have been temporarily grounded.” Then he notices the guns in our hands and says, “What’s going on?”

“She's a federal witness,” Cooper quickly lies. He pushes the copilot's head down even with the window. “That guy out there is the mob's contract killer. We have to take off now. Because when he comes to kill her, he'll kill you too. Won’t think twice. Get us ungrounded. Now.” Cooper even pulls out a badge of some kind and flashes it at the copilot. “Move,” he says.

The copilot gets on the headset and speaks to the tower. “We’re requesting an emergency takeoff.”

“Emergency takeoff? You mean landing?” the tower replies.

“No. Take off.”

“Can’t right now.”

Cooper grabs the headset. “This is Cooper Steele, NSA. There is a possible terrorist suspect standing outside our plane. He just arrived from . . .”

“Miami,” I whisper, as Cooper says, “Miami.”

“A flight did just arrive from Miami,” the tower replies, sounding confused.

“Apprehend him and clear us for takeoff,” Cooper commands.

“I can apprehend him but I'm afraid I can't clear you for takeoff. Only the . . .what? Yes, sir. You are cleared for take off.”

Quickly, we are moving down the runway.

As our wheels leave the ground, Cooper’s phone rings.

“F*ck,” he says before he answers. “Yes. I know, sir. Right, but . . .” Sigh. “It's on me. Yes, I understand.”

He disconnects the call and shuts off his phone as we climb into the air.

Then he stands up, takes the gun out of my hand, and puts it back in the bag along with his.

“What the hell were you thinking? He didn't know you were in here until you called attention to yourself.”

“He was going to the house.” I picture Gracie sleeping in my arms and feel sick. “I couldn't let him.”

“He put something in one of your sister’s backpacks, didn’t he?”

“Yes.”

He runs his hand across his buzzed hair. “Garrett just fired me.”

“Bullshit,” I say.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, bullshit. Although I appreciate everything he's done for me, and although he may think he is, Garrett is not the boss of me. He works for me.”

“It seems personal to him.”

“It's always been personal to you. And it just got more personal because you met my sisters.”

He nods.

“You were right, Cooper. About me being the weakest link in my security. I need you to teach me all the martial arts stuff you know. And how to shoot. You're not leaving school.” I roll my eyes and give him a grin. “The girls would all be grieving for days.”

After we level out, the co-pilot comes back. “We were just informed that our flight plan was changed. We’ll be landing at Santa Monica airport in a few hours.”

“Santa Monica?” I ask after the pilot goes back into the cockpit.

Cooper shakes his head. “That’s where Garrett is meeting us. He’ll be getting you back to school.”

I get up and pour us each two fingers of scotch.

I set the glass in front of him. “Drink.”

“I can't drink on the job.”

“Technically, you just got fired. Drink.”



When we land, Garrett pulls Cooper aside. They’re having a very animated conversation.

I walk in between them. “That’s enough, Garrett. There’s no reason to yell at him if you’ve fired him.”

“The hell there isn’t. I can’t believe the two of you pulled a stunt like this.”

“Garrett, calm down. Cooper planned everything out. He’s really smart and he did a really good job. You need to hire him back.”

“What? No.”

“Um, yes, Garrett. Otherwise you're fired.”

Garrett's head practically does a 360-degree spin. Almost like a horror movie.

“Are you f*cking kidding me?” Garrett says, now completely pissed off.

“Garrett, you know I appreciate everything you've done for me, but I have to put my foot down on this, just like I did with Cooper. I need both of you working together to help keep me safe. My rehearsals just ended and Cooper is going to start teaching me martial arts.”

“And how to shoot,” Cooper says with a grin.

“Because even though school is pretty secure, I’m the weak link.”

“The weak link?”

“Tell him, Cooper.”

He does and then, finally, they shake hands.

Garrett gives me a hug, then dangles a set of car keys in front of us and says, “Drive from here to Vegas. Spend the night. Catch a charter there.”

Cooper and I get into the car and drive away from the airport.

“I don’t want to go to Vegas tonight.”

“We don’t have a choice.”

“Sure, we do. It’s past ten, we’re exhausted, and it’s over a four-hour drive. It’s not safe.”

“Where do you want to go then?”

“We’ll stay here in Santa Monica.”

“Vincent can check our flight plans.”

“If he does that, he’d go to Malibu. Shit. I wonder if he knows B was in Vancouver? Hang on. I need to call him.”

I push B’s number. “Hey, are you still in Vancouver?”

“Yeah, spending the night at your parents’ and then flying to my next tournament.”

“Where’s that?”

“Portugal. Then Hawaii for the Thanksgiving break. You doing anything? You could come.”

“I don’t think that would be very smart, B.”

“Yeah, I know. Wishful thinking.”

“Thanks again for spending Gracie’s birthday with her.”

“No problem. Bye, Keats.”

I hang up. “He’s not coming home. And I know just where to stay. Let me call and see if they have any rooms.”



Cooper and I get to the iconic Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica and check into the Presidential suite. It was all they had available and I would pay just about anything to stay on the beach tonight.

After we get checked in, I immediately swing open the balcony doors and take in the fresh ocean breeze.

I get a crazy idea that Cooper will probably never agree to. But I check anyway. I pop on Facebook and pull up Mark’s profile. He always posts the night before where they are surfing in the morning.

There across my phone are the words: Manhattan Beach is where it’s at.

“You better get some sleep tonight,” I tell Cooper. “We’re getting up at sunrise and going surfing.”

Cooper stops drinking the beer he just pulled out of the refrigerator. “No, we are not.”

“Yeah, we are. We’re going to Manhattan Beach. It’s nowhere near Malibu. Some of B’s old surfer friends are going to be there.”

“I think it’s a bad idea.”

I smile at him. “So’s going to sit out on the beach right now, but I’m still going to do it.”

“I’m coming with you and you’re going to pretend to be with me. Understand? Like we’re a couple.”

I grab his hand. “Come on then, sexy. We’re going to make out in the moonlight.”

I drag him down to the beach and plop down in the sand.

He wraps the blanket he took from the suite around us.

I close my eyes and take it all in. The smells, the sounds. All of which feel like home.

Except.

Not quite.

“Tell me about your sister,” I say to Cooper.

He shakes his head. “It’s not a pretty story.”

“I’m sure it’s not. Please. I need to know.”

“She broke up with her boyfriend because he was cheating on her and that’s when things changed. He started showing up at her apartment unannounced. Standing outside her car waiting for her after work. Sending her flowers and leaving her notes. Of course, she told him they weren’t getting back together, and that he needed to leave her alone. He did for a few months until she started dating again. Then, one night he was waiting for her when she got home. He told her she was his and that if she ever even looked at another man, he would kill her. Before he threatened her, she considered him more of an annoyance, but after that, she was scared. They tried to get a restraining order at that point, but didn’t have any proof. So, she started noting all the times he was around. Saved his cards and letters. Finally got a restraining order. Two days after he was notified of the order, he went to her apartment, raped her, and killed her.”

My hand flies up to my mouth. “Oh my god.”

“The neighbors heard the shot and called the police. There was a standoff and he shot himself.”

“That’s awful.”

“My parents still blame themselves. They tried to get her to stay with them, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“She was trying to live her life,” I say, sort of understanding.
    

Tuesday, November 8th

The single biggest reason.

5am



Cooper and I get up early and drive to Manhattan Beach.

Last night I asked the hotel to get us wetsuits, swimsuits, towels, and changes of clothes. We didn’t pack anything since we weren’t planning on spending the night.

“Have you ever surfed before?”

“On a summer vacation to Hawaii.”

I carefully look at the surfers who are assembled, double checking that Vincent’s not one of them. Or even to see if there’s someone who looks like they don’t belong.

I spot Mark and wander over to him.

“Keatyn!” he says, giving me a full body hug. “What’s up, girl?”

“Not much. I was back in town and saw this was the place to be. I don’t even have a board.”

“Aw, hell. I’ve got three in my van. You can borrow one.”

“Thanks. This is my friend, Cooper.”

Mark gives Cooper a fist bump, and I say hey to the guys that I used to surf with almost every day.

“Brooklyn is shredding it up on the tour,” one says.

“How is he?” another asks.

“He’s living his dream,” Mark answers for me, coming back with two boards.

Wherever they take him, I say quietly to myself as the sky brightens.

I was so worried about how his leaving would affect me that I didn’t once stop to think how good this would be for him. He’s already changed so much. The boy I left has grown into a man.

I sit down in the sand and call him, knowing he’s already awake. “Hey, guess where I am.”

“Are you safe? That's all I care about. Tommy and James told me about everything that happened at the airport and how Garrett fired your bodyguard.”

“Two things I want to tell you before we get into that.”

“What's that?”

“I’m proud of you for living your dream, and I'm really sorry I wasn't more supportive.”

“Keats, you're the one who encouraged me. I'll never forget you telling me to follow my dream that night at the Undertow.”

“I was so afraid you were never going to kiss me.”

“I told you I've been researching stalking cases, but I’m not loving what I'm finding out. So I'm going to come up with another way.”

“Okay.”

“We're gonna be together again, Keats. On the beach, where we belong. Don't lose sight of that dream, okay?”

I look out at the waves, the guys surfing, and feel calm.

I feel like he's right.

“Are you at the beach?” he asks.

“How did you know?”

“I can hear the waves and a seagull.”

“I’m at Manhattan Beach surfing with Mark and the boys. They say hi.”

“How many sunrises have we watched together, Keats?”

“A lot.”

“My favorite part of the day.”

“I’m gonna go catch a few waves before we have to go.”

“Show those boys a little chaos.”

“I’ll try.”



We’ve been surfing for a couple hours when Cooper pulls me aside and says, “I'm starting to get nervous about being here.”

“Why?”

“He knows you like to surf. He probably went everywhere and offered a reward to anyone who tips him off when you show up. I don’t like the way those two guys over there are looking at you.”

I smile. “Maybe they just like my bikini.”

“They took your picture, made a phone call, and seem to be watching you even closer. I'd like to get out of here.”

“If you’re right, we won’t want them to see our car. You go get the car. Drive up two blocks. I’ll meet you.”

“Two blocks? No way. What if Vincent shows up or they try to grab you?”

“Surfers are territorial. All I have to do is say the guys are creeping me out, and that they took my picture. They still think of me as B’s girl. While they confront them, I’ll sneak away.”

Cooper grins at me. “That’s a good plan.”

I walk up to Mark and tell him the guys are creeping me out. He immediately grabs three guys and goes to confront them.

When he does, I take off running.

I hide behind cars, dodge behind a restaurant, and then sprint down a sidewalk.

I see our car ahead, idling at the curb.

I jump in the car, slightly out of breath. “It worked. Go!”

Cooper drives all over, making sure he’s not followed. Then we head back to the hotel, where we get a different rental car, just in case. We order room service and eat it on the deck overlooking the water.

“I could get used to this,” Cooper says, looking out at the beach and down at his huge breakfast.

He flips through the paper while he eats.

“Oh, wow.”

“What?”

“Look at this.”

I read a small piece about how Vincent cut short the Miami tryouts and won’t be back, much to the outrage of fans who had waited in line for up to three days to audition.

“That really sucks for them,” I say, feeling bad.

Cooper cocks his head. “I never paid attention to the name of his film company before. Have you?”

“Uh, no. What is it?”

“A Breath Behind You.”

A shudder runs down my spine. “Think that’s directed at me?”

“I’d say so, considering it spells out ABBY.”
    

Wednesday, November 9th

We’ve changed.

7:30am



Cooper and I got back late last night. I woke up to a sweet text from Aiden.



Hottie God: I missed you. Breakfast?



After all the excitement of the last two days, I decide to wear a really cute uniform look.

Then I meet Aiden for breakfast.

“So, how was your trip? Was your sister surprised?” Aiden asks as we sit down in the café.

“She was so surprised.”

“So tell me more about the party.”

I wish I could tell him everything. How scary it was to see Vincent at the airport. How amazing it felt to sit on the beach and to surf again. How I’ve been wanting to go home so badly.

But how home has changed.

“Well, she loved my presents. Used them to put on a little play. She got chocolate chips, and the stage she wanted, and she got to build sandy castles with . . .”

“With?”

“My ex. He was there when I got there. I had called him because she asked for something special from him. I just wanted him to send her something, but he actually gave her what she asked for.”

“And what was that?”

“She wanted to build sand castles with him. He bought her a sand box.”

“But if your family is just visiting Vancouver, how did that work? Were you at a hotel?”

“Um, no. Uh, they leased a house because my stepdad has business there. Hotels are tricky with four little kids, a dog, and a nanny.”

“Oh, so they’ll be in the country more often?”

“Yeah, I think maybe. We didn’t really talk much about that. It was all about the party.”

“And what about the Keats guy? How was seeing him?”

“Emotional.”

“Emotional, how?”

“Like, a lot of emotions. First, I was shocked that he was there. Then I was touched that he was. Sometimes it felt normal, like we’d never fought. Like we were friends again. Other times it felt a little awkward. Some of the things he said made me want to cry. Other things made me want to laugh.”

Aiden laughs. “That is a lot of emotions.”

“I know.”

“You didn’t mention love. Are you still in love with him?”

“I think part of me will always love him. But right now, no, I’m not in love with him. I can’t be.”

“Why can’t you be?”

“Because we can’t be together. I’m here. He’s off doing his thing. He’s grown up a lot, though. Going abroad has been really good for him.”

“Did you kiss him?”

“Right when I was getting ready to leave, he kissed me. Once, on the lips.”

“And how did it feel?”

“Different.”

“Why is that?”

“Because we’ve changed.” I gaze into Aiden’s eyes. “Because, he’s not you.”

Aiden’s eyes search mine for the truth. He must see what he’s looking for because he puts his hand behind my neck and guides my lips toward his.

And when they touch, I realize why the beach didn’t feel like home anymore.

Because Aiden wasn’t on it.

After we kiss, I say, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening to what happened without getting mad and walking away.”

He murmurs into my ear, “I’m never walking away again.”



I owned your rug.

History



I bring Riley a cup of coffee to history class.

“Oh,” he snaps. “I have a pickup line I meant to tell Dallas.”

“And the coffee reminded you of it?’

“Yeah. Next time he’s standing in line for coffee and there’s a hot girl there, he should say, Do you like it steamy or creamy?”

“How is that even a pickup line? You just made a naughty comment.”

“I have one I’d like to say to Ariela right about now.”

“What’s that?”

“I say we bypass all the bullshit and just get naked.”

I give Riley a fist bump. “You and I think a lot alike. I’d like to say that to Aiden too.”

“Ooooh. You wanna get naked with Aiden?”

“Mr. Johnson, Miss Monroe, I’m trying to give a lecture here.”

Riley and I roll our eyes at each other. Then sit here bored to tears.

I whisper to him, “You know, it seems silly in this day and age that we have to take notes.”

“I don’t take notes. I let you take them for me. I’m a good delegator.”

“You’re not a delegator. You’re lazy.”

“You’re the one working while I’m texting my sexy girlfriend. What does that make you?”

I shake my head. “Why can’t he just email notes to us? Although, if I didn’t take notes, I’d probably fall asleep. And is it naughty texting?”

“Just stuff,” Riley says with an adorable grin. I swear, he’s gotten even cuter since he and Ariela started dating. He still has that cocky swagger, but he just beams all the time.

“What kind of stuff? I’m stuck in junior high with Aiden. Let me live vicariously through you.”

Riley almost drops his phone. “What about Dawson?”

“I haven’t done anything with him lately.”

“Why?”

“Because Aiden kissed me with his tongue.”

The teacher shushes us again, so he texts me.



Riley: So you like Aiden?



Me: Yeah. Although, when I went to visit my family, my ex was there.



Riley: How did that go?



Me: We’ve become friends again.



Riley: Just friends?



Me: Yeah, for now. I don’t know what the future will hold.



Riley: Your ex was a jerk to you. You should forget about him.



Me: He was my first love. Part of me still loves him.



Riley: Sometimes the past should stay in the past.



Me: HA! Someone should tell our teacher that!



Riley: I dare you to ask him why we have to study history.



I raise my hand and interrupt the lecture.

“Yes, Miss Monroe?”

“Why do we have to study history?”

“Well, that’s easy. We study history so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.”



Riley: OMFG! The universe just spoke to you again! How does THAT relate to your life?



Me: Are you saying if I got back together with my ex that I would be repeating the mistakes of my past?



Riley: Uh, yeah.



Me: People grow and change. He’s changed. He’s not the person that he used to be. Neither am I.



Riley: I REALLY want to have sex with Ariela on the furry rug, but if I try, will she get mad at me again? Would that be repeating a mistake of my past?



Me: I have no idea. But I’ve always wanted to have sex on the furry rug too.



Riley: You’ve been coveting my rug?!



Me: I owned your rug. Has Dallas had sex on the rug?



Riley’s eyes get huge and he holds his hands up to his chin like he’s covering himself up. “He wouldn’t dare! Would he?”

I just shrug my shoulders.



Shirtless for five days.

Ceramics



Peyton texts me during ceramics.



Peyton: After you and Aiden went to that French restaurant, he told me you said something about us going to St. Croix with you for Thanksgiving break. We just found out that our parents are going to be on a safari. Whitney wants me to come with her to Palm Beach. Needless to say, the idea of spending the break with her family makes me want to poke my own eyes out. I thought about going to the Johnsons. I know that Riley and Aiden are friends, but I didn’t want it to be awkward with Dawson. So that’s kinda out. That leaves St. Croix with you.



Me: Glad to hear I’m so high on the list of options.



Peyton: You are first on our list of options. I’m just telling you that my backup plans suck so that you will feel sorry for us and say yes.



I imagine being there with Aiden. Seeing him shirtless for five days straight.



Me: Yes.



Peyton: Really?!!!!!! Yay!!! We’re going to have so much fun. And I promise that I won’t be like an annoying third wheel or anything. I’ll let you have time alone. I just want a beach chair, a view, and a good book.



Me: No boys?



Peyton: No boys. But if you could arrange to bring hottie Cooper, I’d gladly take a man.



Me: Very funny.



Peyton: Do I need to book flights? When do we need to leave?



Me: I booked a charter flight, so you can just join me. I’ll have a car pick us up on Wednesday at noon and drop us of at the Municipal airport.



Peyton: Sounds good :) Yay!!



That’s harsh.

French



“Peyton said she talked to you about Thanksgiving break. Sounds like it’s gonna be the three of us in St. Croix.”

“It should be fun.”

“Tell me about the house. What we’ll do.”

“Well, since I was little, we’ve been calling the house The Crab. I can’t remember why we named it that. It has a full staff, so we won’t exactly be roughing it. It’s very laid back but very luxurious. The perfect mix. It’s one of my favorite places ever. Like paradise. It has a rooftop balcony on top of a turret overlooking the ocean. And the bedroom I always stay in is in the turret. It’s amazing. Want to know my other favorite thing?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a fountain with a tile mosaic of a prince and a mermaid, who’s sitting on top of a treasure chest. The Little Mermaid has always been my favorite Disney movie. Of course that may be because I wanted to marry Prince Eric.”

“Why’s that?”

“He had a castle on the beach.”

He laughs. “Do you want to live in a castle on the beach someday?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it sounds perfect. I’m looking forward to both it and going to your loft this weekend. Mostly, I’m looking forward to just hanging out with you.”

“I’m looking forward to the loft too. Between the play and traveling, I’m tired. Not to mention behind on my homework.”

“Maybe we should meet in the library to study tonight.”

“Not your room?”

“If you come to my room, we’ll kiss and not study.”

“I’m kind of obsessed with your tongue.”

“Why do you think I waited so long?”

“Because your tongue is cursed?”

“What?”

“Nothing. Why did you make me wait so long?”

“I’m hoping that it made you want it even more. From what I can tell, you’re a girl who’s used to getting exactly what she wants.”

“I wish I was one of those girls,” Annie says with a huff.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her.

“Are you ever afraid to be happy?”

“All the time. Are things okay with you and Ace?”

“Did you hear what Logan did for Maggie?”

Aiden says, “Keatyn helped him plan it.”

“Then help Ace plan something romantic. Seriously, the boy doesn’t understand romance.”

“What do you want to be romantic? He already asked you out.”

“You know what I want to be romantic,” she says to me with her eyes bugged out.

“Oh, I heard a fun line about that today. I say we bypass all the bullshit and just get naked.”

“Where did you hear that?” I say to Aiden.

“Riley told me at lunch.”

“What else did he tell you about that line?”

“He was just joking and saying he wanted to use it on Ariela.”

I squint my eyes at him. “And that’s it?”

Aiden gives me an odd look. “Uh, yeah, that’s it.”

“He didn’t tell you about anyone else that may feel that way?”

“Uh, no.”

“I feel that way,” Annie confesses. “Well, sometimes, but then I want it to be flowers and romance.”

“What was your first time like, Aiden? You’re a fairly romantic guy,” I say.

“I’ve never really been romantic. And my first time was not romantic. At all.”

“What do you think girls want? Romance-wise?”

He gives me a sexy smirk. “They want to be wooed.”

Annie clasps her hands and says dreamily, “They do.”



After class, Annie says, “I forgot to tell you. I heard about this really cool thing online. There’s this guy that’s remaking one of Abby Johnston’s old movies and he’s doing a nationwide search for an actress to play—”

“She’s not interested,” Aiden says firmly to Annie. “Even though we all thought she was amazing, she didn’t enjoy doing the play and won’t be acting again.”

“Really?” Annie gives me a bewildered look.

“Yes, really. I didn’t like it. I want to be a doctor, I think. Although we’re getting back those career surveys next week. Maybe it will tell me what I should do for a job.”

“But, you could make a ton of money. All I’d have to do is nominate you online.”

“Annie, please don’t. I would turn it down. I love Eastbrooke and if I got a movie, I’d have to leave. I’d miss you.”

“I’d miss you too. But what about the money?”

I shrug my shoulder. “I don’t care. If you nominated me, I wouldn’t try out. I wouldn’t even talk to the guy.”

“That’s harsh,” she says, still looking at me funny.