“HAVE YOU GIVEN any more thought to coming down to D.C. next term?” my father asked the next evening as he signed the check at the ultra-exclusive Fin.
I repressed a sigh as I reached for my wine glass and drained the rest of the final pairing we’d gotten with our chef’s menu dinner. My father, Senator Fredrick Abernathy, had been asking the same question for all three years I’d been at Astor, and other than a few quick weekend trips, I’d managed to avoid going down there. It wasn’t exactly all fun and games in the political world, and spending summers in Europe or on a beach with my friends was far more entertaining.
I’d be following in his footsteps soon enough. I didn’t need to spend the rest of my college years commuting to network with his colleagues.
Serena’s hand found mine on the table, giving me a reassuring squeeze. Thank God I had someone in my life who actually knew me well enough to know D.C. was the last place I wanted to be right now.
I set my glass back on the table and cleared my throat. “I’m not sure. I haven’t received my final course schedule yet, and I’ve promised Mr. Carrington I’d head up a committee for the winter and spring events at Elysium.”
My mother looked up, a pleased smile on her elegant face. “That’s wonderful, dear.”
She wouldn’t think so if she knew what I really wanted to do with Mr. Carrington.
“He can do both,” my father said gruffly, getting to his feet, which meant the rest of us could finally do the same. “An Abernathy man has to be able to juggle. Elysium is important, but running the country is incomparable.”
Buttoning my suit jacket, I nodded and kept my mouth shut. It was better that way, and it would have my father thinking I silently agreed with him.
“Thank you so much for the wonderful evening,” Serena said as I helped her into her peacoat. When my mother came around the table, Serena gently took hold of her arms to kiss both her cheeks, and then she let go to shake my father’s hand.
Pride beamed from both of my parents as they smiled at the two of us. Serena was so perfect at this role, the embodiment of an ideal partner.
“You’re more than welcome.” My father brought her left hand up to plant a kiss there, and then looked pointedly at me. “Perhaps this Christmas will bring you something large and sparkling for this hand, hmm?”
My heart began to pound at the thought of an engagement, but Serena only gave a coy chuckle and pulled her hand away from my father to grab mine.
“I know you both are ready for grandkids, but we’d like to graduate first.”
My father arched a brow. “Again, juggle.”
I kept my mouth shut like the prize child I was as we said our goodbyes, and as my parents got into their car, we headed down Fifty-First Street for the short walk to the Waldorf Towers.
Serena let go of my hand as soon as their car was out of view, linking her arm through mine instead. “All right, you can breathe now.”
It was crazy that I needed the reminder, and as I sucked in the cold night air, my shoulders immediately relaxed. I’d been so good at playing this part for so long, but lately the pressure had been getting to me, making it harder to compartmentalize all the different parts of my life. Including the new addition of her father.
I looked down into a pair of warm brown eyes and smiled—my first genuine smile all night. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Can’t have you passing out on the sidewalk. You’re too heavy to drag.”
I snorted. “I meant for the whole night.”
“I know. But that’s what we do, right?”
“Right.” Breathing came much easier as we passed by the crowds out heading to Radio City Music Hall, moving out of their way as they all seemed to stop in the same spot to take pictures. The holidays were in full swing now, which meant more patience was required while out and about with the influx of tourists, but I couldn’t deny there was something special about this time of year and the way the city lit up.
“So,” I said as the entrance to the Towers came into view a few short minutes later. “You enjoyed dinner?”
“I enjoyed the wine.”
A smirk crossed my lips, because while Serena enjoyed seafood, the raw stuff wasn’t up her alley, though she did a great job faking it for my parents. “Guess it’s a good thing I ordered a pizza.”
“Sausage, bell pepper, and extra cheese?”
“Of course.”
She rested her head on my shoulder and grinned up at me. “It’s like you read my mind.”
“More like I know you as well as I know myself, and I am hungry.”
She laughed as the doorman of the Towers pulled open the door for us.
“Good evening, Mr. Abernathy.”
“Hey there, nice night out tonight.”
He nodded as he looked between us, a wide smile on his weathered face. “It is. Perfect night for a romantic walk through the city.”
“Isn’t it?” Serena agreed, casually slipping back into girlfriend mode as she patted my arm. “The night sky, the holiday atmosphere—the only thing missing was the snow.”
As the words rolled casually off her tongue, I thought the only thing missing for me was a certain someone. Mr. Carrington’s gorgeous face was an image that was too quick to come to mind. I remembered the way he tried not to look at me last night in his office but couldn’t seem to help himself when he thought I didn’t notice.
But I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about that. I was supposed to be focused on the daughter—not the father.
“You coming?” Serena tugged on my elbow. “Or do you plan to stand in the doorway all night?”
I shook off my wayward thoughts and headed through the lobby to the elevators. So much for keeping things in separate boxes.
It was a quick ride up to my floor, and as we stepped out into the hall, we saw the pizza guy about to knock on the door.
“Ah, perfect timing.” Serena reached for the box and inhaled the delicious aromas wafting out with a moan.
I chuckled, pulled a twenty from my wallet, and handed it to the guy. “Thanks. I haven’t fed her for a week.”
Serena rolled her eyes as the guy thanked me and got back inside our empty car.
“Really? A week?”
“The way you’re acting, maybe two. Would you like a moment alone with it?”
“You’re so funny,” she said as I opened the door for her, then tossed my wallet on the entry table.
“Hey, you’re the one acting like a—”
“Do I smell pizza?” Travis popped up from the couch. Then he looked over at where Serena clutched the box close to her body, like one would guard a baby.
“Don’t even think about it,” she warned as he eyed her prize, and had any other guy looked at her chest that intently, I might have jumped to her defense. But Travis was interested in only one thing, and that was the piping-hot pizza that had just been delivered—free of charge—to his door.
“What? You can’t even spare one piece? You’re tiny.”
“I’m also hangry,” she growled as she marched into the kitchen. “So back off.”
Travis looked over at me. “That time of the month?”
“I heard that!” Serena called out as I started to laugh and walked over to join Travis.
“No. We had dinner with my parents at—”
“Fin, and the food was basically raw and nonexistent.” Serena came back out of the kitchen with a couple cans of soda, then flipped open the lid of the pizza. “So this”—she waved at one side of the box—“is mine. And you two can fight over the rest.”
Travis held up his hands. “Uh, I think I’m just gonna get something when I head out in a few. I kinda like my balls where they are.”
“Preston will share with you,” she said around a mouthful, and I nodded.
“Seriously. If you want a piece, go for it.”
“Nah. Sounds like you two need it more than me.”
“Yeah, it was an interesting night for sure.” I reached for a slice and leaned back into the couch.
“Your dad bugging you about D.C. again?”
“D.C., marriage—”
“Babies…” Serena smiled sweetly, then sat up straight and posed beside me like a proper little wife might in a portrait. “Don’t you think we’d make the perfect couple?”
Travis snorted, looking between the two of us. “Maybe. If he didn’t like dick as much as you do. Which I’m still trying to wrap my head around.”
Serena laughed. “Thank God someone else finally knows.”
I shook my head and took a big bite of my slice. Since I’d gotten busted by Travis with Mr. Carrington, I’d had to come clean to him about my secrets, and he was now the only person who knew everything. I hadn’t breathed a word of that night to Serena, and neither had Travis. She’d easily bought the lie that since he was my roommate, it made sense to tell him the truth, to make it easier on the two of us.
Was I proud of myself for keeping the truth from her? No. Was I about to tell her I kissed her father and wanted to do it again? Hell no.
So what it came down to was there were two people in the world who knew my preferences, and both of them were in this room. It was the only time I could fully relax, but it wasn’t often that one of the other guys wasn’t around.
Would any of them care? Not in a million years. I got more shit from them for being the “straight” one of our group, but the more people who bought into my lie, the better. It wasn’t just my life and future I had to think about, but Serena’s.
Travis disappeared into his room for a couple of minutes while we sat there shoveling food into our mouths, and when he came back out in a different outfit, I whistled.
An impish grin crooked his lips. He knew he was hot shit, but Travis never turned down an opportunity to strut as we threw out compliments.
“So hot,” Serena said, as we took in the tight black and gold snakeskin pants with an open long-sleeved shirt. “Turn around.”
He made a show of rolling his eyes, but Travis had a spectacular ass and he knew it, which was why he obliged and made a full turn for our benefit.
Serena licked sauce off her finger and nodded. “Yeah, I’d bang you.”
“So would I, but…” I grinned at him, and Travis’s mouth fell open.
“Seriously? I don’t have to go out.”
“Yeah, but you might get obsessed with me, and I can’t have you giving me away by mooning over me in public. Besides, stalking one person at a time should be enough for you.”
Instantly, his eyes narrowed and he flashed me a finger. “Enjoy your trash food and romcoms, you lame-asses.”
He was out the door seconds later, and once it slammed shut behind him, Serena and I busted out laughing.
“That was mean,” she said as she grabbed another slice and curled her legs beneath her on the couch. “Aren’t you worried he’ll spill things if you’re a dick?”
“Nah. He’s got as many secrets as I do. The trust goes both ways.” I hoped.
“Hmm.” That was all she said as she picked a fallen piece of sausage off her lap and popped it in her mouth. I could practically see her thinking, and the longer she stayed quiet, studying me, the more questions I knew were coming.
I tossed the crust of my second slice in the box and reached for the remote to turn on a movie she’d like, but I’d barely started flipping through the channels before she broke the silence.
“Do you think you’ll ever want to spill your secrets?”
The question was so out of left field that I almost dropped the remote. “To who?”
She lifted a shoulder, looking anywhere but at me. “To whoever. Your other friends, for starters. And maybe…”
I narrowed my eyes. “Maybe what?”
“What if you find someone you want to spend your life with?”
Where the hell was this coming from? Had she caught wind that I’d been thinking about someone else lately? No, there was no way she could know that. And it wasn’t like I was thinking about forever.
“You know better than that,” I said. “But have you met someone? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”
“No, I—”
“It’s that guy from Onyx, isn’t it? I saw him slip you his number.”
“Which I promptly threw in the trash, and you know it.”
I twisted slightly to face her, resting my elbow on the back of the couch. “What about that girl in your class, what’s her name…”
“Naya?”
“That’s the one.”
Serena shrugged. “What about her?”
“You tell me.”
“Preston, I’m not trying to get out of this. I’m just asking if you’re still happy with this arrangement.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, a lot of your friends have been finding, dare I say, love lately. Sometimes that can make things stir, make you want something like that yourself.”
“Love?” I chuckled. “I’m happy with just a hit-and-run.”
“Stop it.” She smacked me on the arm. “You know what I mean. I’ve seen the way you look at Donovan and Kelly. You want what they have.”
“Doesn’t everyone? Those two are like a walking billboard for romance, no matter your preference.”
“Yes, but you specifically want what they have. To be open and out of the closet. To be able to hold hands and touch the man you care about.”
I let out a sigh and shrugged. “Yeah, well, he hasn’t shown up yet, so I’m not all that worried.”
“And when he does? Will you tell me?”
A frown pulled between my brows as I tried to ignore the sudden flush of heat that crept up the back of my neck. I really hated lying to her. “Of course. Just like you’ll tell me, right?”
“That was the deal.”
“I know. But I don’t want you to think that you have to hold back on my account.” I reached for a strand of her blonde hair and twirled it around my finger, redirecting the conversation away from my guilty conscience. “You mean the world to me, and your happiness is just as important to me as my own. So when you find someone, you better fucking tell me.”
The irony didn’t escape me.
A fun-loving laugh left her as she saluted me. “Yes, sir.”
“Good. So for now, we agree this situation is working just fine and we’re happy to leave it at that.”
“Happy as can be.” She grabbed another slice. “You sure you don’t want to tell your friends, though? Would be much easier to sneak off to see Raul if they knew what kind of ‘massage’ you were running late for.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. They’d be more than willing to cover for you so you could go get your happy ending.”
I picked up one of the cushions off the couch and tossed it at her. “You’re a damn troublemaker.”
She flopped back into the seat and bit down into her cheesy slice. “Yeah, but you love me anyway.”
She was right. I loved her with all my damn heart. In the way best friends do.
I couldn’t help the wave of guilt that washed over me again, though, as the memory of her father pushing me up against the wall and kissing the breath out of me intruded on my thoughts. I couldn’t reconcile what I was thinking and feeling, though if Archer didn’t ask Serena about the truth of our relationship, it didn’t seem like it would ever matter anyway.
But I’d felt that tension between us. It’d been real. And that spark of curiosity in his eyes as I’d left his office told me that maybe, just maybe, I had a chance.
