The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play #1) - B.B. Reid Page 0,71
kitchen, I’d discreetly searched for them, but the purple cotton had disappeared. I didn’t dare allow myself to think about them being in Ever’s possession or why he took them.
The hot water cleansed my body, but it did nothing to erase last night. I never expected him to apologize, so forgiving him had never entered my mind. Frankly, it was the last thing I wanted to do. The first was forgetting what happened between us. A knock sounded at my door the moment I finished dressing, and I opened it to find Jamie, also dressed in his uniform, on the other side.
“Birthday girl!” He snatched me up in a bear hug before I could say anything. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks,” I choked out.
His arms immediately loosened, and he set me on my feet. He then stepped back but not before placing something on my head.
“Uhh…” I touched the plastic object with curiosity and started to remove it.
“Leave it. It looks good on you.”
“What is it?”
“A tiara for a princess.”
I snorted. “I’m no princess.”
“Couldn’t agree more. Let’s go!”
He clasped my hand in his and held it until we reached the kitchen where Rosalyn, Thomas, and Ever waited.
“Happy birthday!”
Thomas and Jamie wore bright smiles while Ever was watchful, and Rosalyn was like a statue carved from despair. Of course, she hadn’t given Thomas the memo. We never celebrated my birthday.
“Sit, be merry, eat cake with us,” Thomas offered cheerfully. It was then I noticed the buttercream cake sitting in the middle of the island. I finally met Ever’s gaze.
“I wasn’t expecting cake.” I had eyes only for Ever but not in the romantic, all-consuming-love way. I wanted to plunge the knife meant for cutting the cake into his black heart.
“Of course, there would be cake. I didn’t expect my son to bake one himself, though.”
Ever baked me a birthday cake?
It was then I noticed the bit of flour on his cheek. Thomas’s expression turned thoughtful as he gazed at his son, but he quickly shook it away and beamed at me. “Hope you like buttercream.”
“Love it.”
Jamie launched into song, and Thomas and Ever followed. On the last note, I made the same wish I did every year, and then I blew out the candles. I stared into Rosalyn’s empty eyes over the rising smoke, but like every year, there was no genie to erase her pain. An oblivious Thomas picked up the knife and extended it to Ever. “Why don’t you do the honors?”
Ever took the knife from his father and cut five perfect slices before placing them on the expensive china. We all dug in while Rosalyn ignored her slice of cake and excused herself. Too bad my sorrow couldn’t leave with her. I hoped her rejection would escape their notice until all three men frowned after her. When their questioning gazes turned to me, I smiled and pretended all was fine.
She’s heartbroken.
She doesn’t hate you.
She’s just sad.
The mantra was an old friend, chasing away tears and self-hatred.
“Do you have exciting plans after school?” Thomas questioned. I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood and distract me from Rosalyn’s absence.
“Tyra and I were thinking about hanging out at the beach.”
“That sounds like fun,” he replied absently as he checked his phone. He excused himself, leaving me alone with Ever and Jamie.
“My uncle’s full of shit. That’s a lame way to spend your birthday,” Jamie said as soon as Thomas was out of earshot. Ever didn’t say anything, but I could tell he agreed.
“Well, I don’t exactly have popular friends to throw me birthday parties.”
They smirked at my snappy comment. They may have thought my plans were lame, but it was more than I ever expected.
“You have us,” Jamie corrected with waggling brows, “and we can give you better than a party.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah…skip school with us.”
“Not going to happen.” I wasn’t exactly giddy to spend the day at school, but I wasn’t giving Ever another chance to set me up. No way was I spending another year at Natasha Madison’s School of Ladies.
“Have you ever been to New York?”
I met Ever’s gaze, but his expression remained perfectly blank as if he weren’t the least bit worried I’d expose him. Maybe Jamie already knew. Despite their feud over Barbie, they were thick as thieves.
“No,” I lied. Well, it was more like a half-truth. I technically have been, but there had to be more to the Big Apple than crumbling buildings in seedy neighborhoods. “But I don’t think I need to risk suspension to visit.