Fractured Things - Samantha Lovelock Page 0,54

digs through until she finds what she’s looking for.

“Stella, I’m so happy to have found you and to have you here with me. You are so much more than I could have ever imagined.” She takes my hand and turns it palm up. “Happy Birthday, sweetheart.” I feel the cold metal in my hand, and my pulse starts hammering faster before I look down. I hold her gaze for a few seconds, my eyes wide until she nods and smiles. Sweeping my eyes downward, I see not a fob for a fancy new car but actual keys to a badass old one.

“No way. Are you sure?” I ask, my voice reverent. “I know how much you love that car.”

“Which makes it fitting that the person I love most in the world is driving it.” The giant goofy grin on my face is making my cheeks ache, and for the life of me, I can’t stop it.

“You got a car! That’s so awesome!” Aylie hugs me. “Can we see it?” We all traipse out to the garage, where my beautiful birthday present sits in all her freshly washed and waxed glory.

“Seriously?” Sunday shrieks before throwing her arms around me and then around my aunt, unable to contain her excitement. “That is so sexy.” The girls climb in and look around, chattering at each other while I stand back with my aunt.

“Are you really sure? This is a huge gift.” I ask.

“Absolutely. As soon as I saw your face when we lifted off the cover, I knew she was meant to be yours.” She reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Treat her well, and be careful.”

“Dude, you are so picking me up for school tomorrow,” Sunday calls from the front seat. I laugh, and Cecily and I join my friends before we all go back to the house for dinner.

I had debated not telling the girls everything that happened, but Sunday convinced me they’d find out anyway, and it would be better if the news came from me rather than one of the guys. The four of us set up camp on my bedroom floor in a giant nest of blankets and pillows, and Cecily ordered us two large pizzas as promised. I was nice enough to get anchovies, pineapple, and hot peppers on only one of them, much to Sunday’s relief. Roxy has eaten as much of that one as I have, so at least somebody appreciates my salty-sweet-spicy combo.

The news about my mom brought tears to everybody’s eyes, and both Roxy and Aylie expressed their condolences. Then I told them about Poe’s part in the whole thing.

“He did what?” Roxy asks, incredulous. Her hand is stalled partway to her mouth, the half-eaten slice of pizza she’s holding temporarily forgotten. Aylie’s mouth is frozen in a stunned ‘o’, and her emerald eyes are wide.

“Rox, your anchovies are about to slide into your lap,” Sunday cautions while handing her a paper towel. Setting the slice down on her plate, Roxy wipes her hands and picks up her root beer, taking a long swig before speaking.

“How in the hell did we not know about this? I mean, I get that he’s the Halliday Heir and whatever, but we don’t keep things from each other. When your aunt asked him to go to Georgia, the rest of us should’ve been looped in. That’s how we’ve always done things.” She stares down at her hands in her lap, suddenly sounding hurt. “Stronger together than we are apart.”

I realize then just how much the Heirs mean to each other and how they will forever be entwined in each other’s lives.

We, Stella, we will forever be entwined. You’re a part of them now, too.

Poe’s bullshit hurt me, and it stung badly, but by him doing the favor for my aunt at all and not telling the rest of the Heirs about it, he hurt them too.

“I know it probably won’t make you feel any better, Roxy, but I don’t think he told anybody about it. Not Payne, or the rest of the guys, or even his dad. Holt knows now, according to Poe, but I don’t think he found out until after what happened to my mom.”

Why am I making excuses for him?

“Don’t defend him, Stella. Keeping the secret about your mom from you for a month is inexcusable. Add his behavior when you and Sunday were gone, and the guy deserves one hell of a junk punch.” Roxy surprises me with her reaction to my words.

“What