Forever Golden: Chapter 29

BLUE

“There. All done,” Scar says with a satisfied grin.

After having struggled to close her overstuffed suitcase for the last five minutes, she’s finally gotten it.

“And not a second to spare,” I tease, shaking my head as I slip a hoodie over my t-shirt. “Our ride to the airport will be here in a few.”

She plops down onto the bed that’s been hers since we first dropped our bags here in Dupont Bayou. Even though she hasn’t said it, she’ll miss it here. I think we’re all feeling it actually. The original plan was to stick around for a few more days, but once West heard that Scar would miss Shane’s last days in Cypress Pointe, he changed our flight plans. I shudder to think how much that must’ve cost him, but he didn’t even bat an eye.

If it’s important to Scar and me, it’s important to him.

Which is exactly why I love him.

Thinking of Shane brings a question to mind. Something I’ve been dying to ask my sister.

“So… what’s up with you and Linden?”

For some reason, I hold my breath after asking.

Scar shrugs. “He seems okay. He talks a lot about their band, school, and his family.”

“His family? Is there drama or something?”

She gives another of her casual shrugs. “No, not really. Mostly it’s just stuff about his bio-dad’s side. They’re Choctaw.”

I stop what I’m doing to listen. “His dad’s Native?”

Scar nods. “Well, he was. He died before Linden was born. Seems like he’s pretty in touch with his roots, though. His grandmother keeps him active with the local Choctaw community. Which is pretty cool, I guess.”

She guesses?

Those hearts in her eyes say otherwise. They say she’s more than interested in anything and everything having to do with this guy.

“Mmm hmm. Let’s go, kiddo.”

Scar takes her time getting up to follow me downstairs, but she eventually does. We join the others outside on the porch just as the driver who dropped us off several days ago pulls up in the same bus as before. Seeing him, my heart aches a little.

This trip is ending way, way too soon.

Boone’s standing beside me, hands in his pockets as he gazes over at his grandsons. They’re obviously so important to him, I imagine parting ways is always tough. In fact, I can see it in his eyes even though he’s trying to hide it.

“Thank you so much for having us. We had a great time,” I say to him.

“Oh, sweetheart, the pleasure was all mine. The only thing I love more than seeing my grandsons is seeing my grandsons happy.”

He smiles then, and I find myself wishing I had a grandfather like him. Someone warm and loving, patient. Well, if you don’t count the short fuse he has when it comes to the other five we met down here. Even then, it’s easy to see he doesn’t only tolerate that wild bunch. He loves them.

“Give me a hug before you run off,” Boone says with a smile.

I lean in to embrace him and he doesn’t feel like a stranger anymore. He feels like family.

“I’ll be checking in with West to see how things are coming along. And I know the last thing the two of you want to do is let Vin think he’s winning, but some things are more important than pride,” he reasons. “If he needs to think he’s in control while things are being worked out, then so be it. In the end, he’ll know the two of you never faltered in your love. Even if it has to look like it for a bit.”

I nod, hearing him loud and clear. “Yes, sir.”

“None of this ‘sir’ business. Just call me Grandpa,” he corrects me, confirming my earlier thought—we’re like family now.

Scar and Joss move in to hug Boone next, followed by the boys. Boone nearly squeezes the life out of them like before and I could watch him with them all day. They might’ve gotten a raw deal being Vin’s sons, but being Boone’s grandsons more than makes up for it.

“You kids keep out of trouble,” he calls out with a smile as we descend the steps of the porch, but we never get the chance to board our ride. Before any of us steps foot inside the bus, an engine revs in the distance. Then, what do we see a few seconds later?

A gray pickup barreling up the long driveway.

“Dear God, help us today,” Boone groans to himself—his reaction to seeing his other grandsons rolling up in all their loud, rowdy glory.

At least the triplets are happy to see them.

And Scar.

Boone’s right. A little divine intervention would be great right now. I especially think so when the truck slams to a stop and Linden hops out the bed of it, coming straight for my sister like there’s no one else standing here.

The wind picks up, moving through his hair, and it’s apparent that he’s too cool to notice it’s a little chilly today. Instead of wearing a hoodie or jacket like the rest of us, he’s rocking a white t-shirt and jeans.

The other four go straight for West, Joss, and I, saying their goodbyes, but you’d think Scar’s the only one Linden sees.

“Couldn’t let you leave without giving you this,” he says, stepping closer to her. She stares up at him like he’s some kind of deity, fallen from the sky to Earth.

“What is it?”

He shrugs and slips both hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Just a little something so you don’t forget me.”

She shoots him a look that has me thinking she knows he’s full of shit—one of those guys who’s used to girls eating out the palm of his hand. Then again, there’s a small part of me that worries she’s falling for it.

She takes the small bag when Linden offers it, and then pulls out a t-shirt.

“I had our guy rush and make you a pink one. That’s our band,” he explains, pointing at the logo in the center of the shirt.

“What? You thought I’d want pink because I’m a girl?” she asks with a smirk.

“Well, I uh—”

“Relax. I’m kidding. It’s sweet.” She peers up from the shirt and meets Linden’s gaze and… kill me now.

That look I was terrified I’d one day see in her eyes? The one that contradicts the cold shoulder she’s been giving him? Yeah, I see it plain as day.

“Thank you,” she eventually says, once she’s able to tear her eyes away from him.

“No problem.”

There’s a moment of awkward silence between them and I completely ignore every single conversation but theirs.

“So, I was thinking. If you give me your number, we can keep in touch. You know, check in on each other every now and then?”

I hold my breath, watching to see how things will play out.

“I told you, I’m involved with someone,” Scar explains.

Linden doesn’t seem defeated in the least by hearing my sister tell him again why she’s off limits.

“So you keep saying,” he smirks.

“And yet, you insist on backing me into a corner,” Scar shoots back.

Linden’s smile grows and he does that thing again, where he eye-bangs my sister so hard I feel dirty witnessing it.

“You’re not gonna make this easy for me, are you?”

Scar smirks when he asks. “Not only will I not make it easy, I’ll make it impossible.”

Instead of letting that deter him, his masochistic ass smiles at her. “So, I take it that’s a no on giving me your number.”

“Oh, it’s a big no,” she clarifies.

Linden nods, biting the side of his lip as he slips both hands back inside his pockets. “At least give me your socials. What’s the harm in that?”

He’s not begging, but he’s definitely being persistent as hell.

Shaking her head, Scar laughs a bit. “It was great meeting you, Linden. Goodbye.”

With that, she offers a cheeky grin and starts toward the bus but isn’t quite fast enough. Linden manages to get a hold of her when she passes, and if his light grip on her hand was enough to halt her, it means she wanted to be stopped.

“Don’t make me stalk you, Scarlett.” He croons his warning with a wicked smirk. One that makes Scar’s own smile dim a bit. However, I’m convinced this shift has nothing to do with being put off by Linden’s intensity. If anything—based solely on who our mother is, and how we’re both a little broken because of it—I’d say she likes it.

Scar blinks into Linden’s gaze while slowly pulling out of his grasp. Her eyes flit to his parted lips, and then meet his stare again.

“Give it your best shot,” is her parting challenge.

Linden eyes her as she passes, not bothering to stop her this time, but he keeps his gaze trained in her direction long after she’s disappeared inside the bus. Watching him now, I wonder if he’s questioning the same thing I am.

Were Scar’s words meant as a deterrent? Or were they an invitation?

“Ready?” West asks, stealing my attention. “We should get going so we’re not late.”

I glance toward Linden one last time before nodding.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

West’s hand rests against the small of my back and we say our last goodbyes. For so many reasons, this was a trip to remember. In a few hours we’ll be back in Cypress Prep, back where we’ll have to face our problems head on, but I have to believe there will be a break in Roby’s investigation soon. Especially now that we’ve made a connection between Vin and Paul Ruiz. I’m not sure what good it will do yet, but I choose to believe things will start to go our way soon.

I mean, they have to.

Right?