Sugar, Spice and a pinch of Fantasy

Chapter 3

You guessed right; I’m gonna toss this mattress out the window. That will teach him for messing with me! How exactly this is revenge for him sticking caution on my ass, though, is beyond me. I told you, I’m a brash person!

               “You know, we really should help her before she hurts herself,” Matt muses to Alex, as if I’m not in the room.

I ignore my useless audience and keep tugging at the bed. Five minutes, and a bucket of sweat later, I manage to drag it maybe six inches? That’s when my two cohorts decide to lend me a hand. Alex takes one end, and Matt takes the other, and they easily carry the mattress down the stairs.

I lead them to the back of the mansion and make them dump the mattress behind the thick trees. Haden won’t find it here! Not unless Matt or Alex blabs. Either way, this is good revenge. Again, how this relates to what he did to me escapes me.

Dusting my hands off, I hug my two boys and skip merrily into the house. As I skip through the garage, Haden’s sleek Porsche suddenly zooms in, stopping a mere inch in front of me, where I stand terrified.

Haden’s eyes are huge as he makes sure I’m okay and I take this time to gather my wits. Still can feel both my legs; yep! I’m alright! I exhale loudly and a scowl creeps it’s way on my face.

               “Watch where you’re going!” I snarl at my least favourite person at the moment.

               “Me?! You’re the one skipping like a mental patient, not looking where you’re going!” he retorts.

I stick my tongue out at him like a six year old and cross my arms across my chest.

               “Real mature Jessy!” Haden murmurs sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Matt and Alex walk into the garage, looking perplexed at Haden and my arguing.

The moment he sees them though, Haden shakes his head and relaxes. “Guys, guess who I met in town. Carter,” he murmurs, no humour on his face.

               “Ah, so this is your ward?” an extremely sexy voice demands, walking into the garage nonchalantly. The voice belongs to a guy with an equally amazing face. Hello!

The guy holds out his hand for me and I take it. “The name’s Carter, my dear,” he murmurs in sexy whisper, making me blush like an idiot. He grins a feral grin as I blush. Umm, wow! He’s hot! Really, really hot! Dirty blond, blue eyes, tall, fit...the whole works.

               “Jessy? Earth to Jessica! You can leave now,” Haden says sulkily. I nod my head, shoot a seductive look at Carter and strut through the double door. I can feel Haden and the rest of the guys eyeing my retreating figure. I stop once I’m on the other side of the door and strain my ears to hear what the guys are talking about.

               “You never told me she was so pretty,” came the sexy voice, Carter’s voice. Wow! Even thinking his name sends butterflies through my stomach.

               “Not like it’s your concern though, is it?” Haden retorts full of loathing. Umm, rude much?

               “Ah, Haden, someone’s getting a little too into his role, huh? Be careful...you’re playing with the big boys now. Dada can’t bail you out all the time, now can he?” Carter whispers condescendingly.

Throwing caution to the wind, I run to the other end of the mansion use the backdoor to get to the garden. I lounge on one of the long benches, and act nonchalant. I have no idea why, but I just have to see Carter again, hear him speak, maybe say my name?

And moment later I hear footsteps approaching me. I concentrate on the water fountain, and pout slightly. Guys can’t resist my pout.

               “Ah, it’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” Carter’s whisper came from closer than I imagined, I can feel his cool breath on my shoulder.

I turn my head slightly and smile lazily at him, “It really is,” I murmur back.

The next thing I know, Carter is sitting on the bench beside me. The more I look at him, the younger he looks. In the house, he looked maybe 21? But now he doesn’t look that much older than me? He looks about Haden’s age. That’s weird! People don’t just change like that...but more than that...he looks so unbelievably familiar!

               “Do you know the secrets your guardian is keeping from you, lovely one?” Carter asks suddenly. I shake my head, my eyes wide. “It isn’t my place to tell you...but be careful,” he warned.

               “And that’s more than enough!” Haden orders, a few paces behind Carter and I. Feeling unbelievably guilty, I immediately jump up and away from Carter. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I thought I saw a flash of irritation cross his face.

               “Jessy? Come here love,” Alex murmurs, holding his hand out for me. I immediately cross over to him and he leads me back into the house.

               “What’s going on?” I whisper.

               “Nothing. Don’t worry,” he smiles, but there’s a hardness to his smile, it’s a forced one.

               “Alex, really, what’s going on?” I try again.

Alex stares at me for a long moment before sighing. “Love, Carter is an old friend of Haden’s. They don’t get on too well. And he’s just...is bad news. Haden doesn’t want you to mix with someone like that. That’s all,” he explains.

               “Are you sure? It seemed like more than that,” I mumble. Maybe I’m reading too much into the situation?

Alex nods and kisses my hand. He leads me to one of the couches and makes me sit. Barely a moment later, Haden and Matt walk in, smiling brightly. The moment Alex sees them, he mirrors their cheery smile.

               “You okay, right Jess? The creep didn’t do anything did he?” Haden asks, pulling me into a hug.

               “Haden, I’m okay. Chill!” I answer, forcing a smile on. Haden nods his head and walks over to the stairs.

               “Well, I’m knackered. I’ll see you lot in the morning,” he announces as he ascends the staircase.

I don’t know why, but the few sentences I exchanged with Carter has me a little unnerved. He just told me Haden is hiding something. It must be completely insane of me to even doubt my guardian, right? I don’t even know Carter! But somehow...I think he was telling me the truth.

               “JESSICA AUBRY!” Haden shouts from upstairs. I jump up in shock, wondering what happened and then it hits me. His mattress...

Oops!