The Enemy - Kelsey Clayton Page 0,74

has me laughing in disbelief. Of course, he did. It wasn't that he hated the car, but the principle behind it. My dad bought that car, so he would get rid of the Jeep, with no regard to the sentimental value of it. I can't really say I blame him.

The second we step inside, I can already hear my dad on the phone from his office. Nora comes out of the kitchen and gives us each a hug.

"Oh, I've missed you two so much," she beams, kissing Cade on the cheek and making him cringe.

I try not to laugh at the look on his face. "We've missed you, too, but I thought you weren't coming home for another week?"

"There's a hurricane off the coast, so we were forced to come back early. It was beautiful, though. I'll have to show you the pictures later."

Cade rolls his eyes, and I subtly nudge him with my elbow.

"Right," he clears his throat. "That would be great, Mom."

My dad comes out of his office and focuses his attention firmly on me. "Lennon, can I see you for a second?"

Confused, my brows furrow, but I nod. "Yeah, sure."

As I'm walking away, Molly comes running down the hallway and jumps into her brother's arms. It's an adorable sight, the way he interacts with her. It's like he's a constant hard-ass to everyone, except her. And now hopefully me, too.

"Now, Lennon," my dad demands.

Cade winks at me as I shut the door, and a light blush coats my cheeks. "What's up?"

He sits down at his desk. "Where were you today?"

"Cade was teaching me how to surf. Why are you being so cold?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, he sighs. "I don't want you slumming it on the beach with that kid."

I'm sorry, what? "I thought you liked Cade."

He leans back and turns his computer screen toward me. "I did, until he threw numerous parties in my house while I was gone. Do you think the staff doesn't tell me this stuff?"

Pictures from the security cameras in the backyard stare back at me from the screen. The evidence is damning, so I don't even try to deny it. Maybe if I said it was my party, he wouldn't care as much, but it's obvious this one wasn't mine. Not with the amount of people and the multiple kegs.

"I mean it, Lennon. Stay away from him."

24

CADE

Coming home to find our parents back a full week early was definitely not something I expected. It's just my luck that I finally get Lennon to stand being around me, and now this happens. And to top it all off, ever since she came out of her dad's office, she's been blatantly ignoring me.

We're sitting at the dinner table, listening to my mom and Ken go on and on about their trip and how amazing it was. I move my food around my plate, but none of it seems to meet my mouth. Something about the awkward tension and the unknown of where we go from here is killing my appetite.

I look up at Lennon and realize she's doing the same thing. There's something off with her; I just don't know what. A part of me wonders if her dad knows about us somehow, but I doubt it—mainly because he hasn't flipped out on me yet, and my mom hasn't said anything like that.

Stretching out my legs under the table, I tap her shin with my foot. When her eyes finally meet mine, I give her a look, silently asking what's up. She glances at her dad to make sure he isn't paying attention. When she realizes the coast is clear, she looks back at me and shakes her head.

Fucking great.

"I'm not hungry," I tell my mom. "May I be excused?"

She frowns. "You don't want to hear about the trip?"

"I do, but not right now. I'm not feeling so hot."

As expected, she instantly goes soft and nods. "I'll bring you some soup in a little while. You should have something in your stomach."

Sparing one more look at Lennon as I get up from the table, she won't lift her head from her still full plate. Whatever her dad had to say when we got home was enough to send her running for the hills and far away from me.

HOURS PASS AND I'M still no less on edge than I was at dinner. At this point, I'm surprised there aren't track marks in the carpet from me pacing