As Keeley walked down the crowded halls to her locker, she wondered for the hundredth time when Talon was going to call her. For the past two days, her cell phone had been strangely silent. No phone calls or texts from him. It was like he disappeared into thin air- a complete ghost. Why had he gone through the trouble of making her promise to answer him, if he wasn't even going to call? It didn't make any sense.
She arrived at her locker and pulled open the door but it didn't budge. Keeley frowned. Why wasn't it opening? She placed both hands on the handle and pulled with all her strength. She stumbled back as a large blue duffle bag toppled out of her locker. Instantly, an overpowering odor of chemicals filled her nostrils. It was so strong her eyes started to tear up. What the hell? She fanned the air in front of her face, trying to dissipate some of the unpleasant smell.
Gavin must have stored it there. He had been leaving various books and notepads in her locker for the past week. She hadn't minded, as he had been fairly unobtrusive about it. He had kept everything in a tidy pile, not disturbing any of her belongings. This was the first time he had gotten in her way.
Warily, she eyed the offensive duffle lying at her feet. Something seemed oddly familiar about that bag. She pushed the bag with her foot till it was facing her. On the side, the initials ZAB were stitched into the fabric.
Zachary Andrew Brewer.
Keeley snorted. She should have known. She bit her lip apprehensively, wondering what could be in it. It didn't look like football gear or clothes. Curiosity got the best of her as she crouched over the duffle and unzipped. A small can of blue paint, a paintbrush and a roll of saran wrap lay inside. The paintbrush was wrapped in a plastic bag, still wet from being used.
A feeling of trepidation crept up her spine. Zach had been acting too happy lately. Almost like he was pleased with himself. Last night, she had even caught him whistling while washing the dishes. Keeley fingered the saran wrap, speculating what he could have done. It had obviously been some sort of prank. Could this be the reason why she hadn't heard from Talon?
Gavin skidded to a halt beside her, interrupting her thought. "I'm so sorry Keeley. I meant to get here before you, but my teacher let the class out late," he explained, his breathing labored.
"What is this?" she inquired, holding up the bag at arm's length.
"U-uh..." Gavin stammered, looking uneasy. "I-it's a bag?"
Keeley leveled him a knowing look. "Why do you have paint and saran wrap, Gavin?"
His adam's apple bobbed up and down as he gulped. "Uhh...."
"What did Zach do? And don't lie to me. I know this isn't for a science project."
Gavin wet his lips nervously. "I can't say."
"Did you guys do something to Crosswell?" she demanded to know.
"I can't say," he repeated desperately.
Frustration pulsed off of her. She needed to know if Zach had anything to do with Talon's silence. Maybe he warned Talon to stay away from her? But how had her brother known about her promise? She hadn't told anyone but Nicky.
Keeley glanced at Gavin and bit back the questions bursting inside of her. He looked absolutely miserable. A wave a pity came over her. Poor kid. He didn't deserve her ire. He was just a pawn in this game. If Keeley wanted answers, she had to go to the master pulling the strings-her brother. "It's okay, Gavin." She handed him the bag. "You may want to get rid of this before people start asking questions."
He sent her a look of pure relief. "Thanks Keeley."
She gave him a forced smile. He shouldn't be thanking her yet. She was going to confront Zach and who knew how he was going to respond once he knew Gavin had stored the evidence in her locker. Wasn't the kid's smartest move.
She shut her locker and walked to the far side of the quad where she and Nicky usually ate their lunches. It was a little out of the way from the main area, but they liked it because there were several large trees that offered shade. She saw Nicky sitting at one of the picnic tables and made her way over to her.
"Do you have a test next period?" she asked, motioning to the various books spread out over the table.
Nicky lifted the book she was currently reading so Keeley could see the cover. It was a European travel guide. "I'm researching the different ways we can travel between countries. I'm thinking the best way is to go by train."
"Shouldn't we figure out which countries we want to visit first?"
Nicky sniffed and turned her nose up in the air. "Well, if someone wasn't so busy obsessing over boys we could sit down and decide."
"You're more boy obsessed than I am!"
Nicky scoffed. "Hardly."
"Oh really?" Keeley cocked her head to the side. "Who's the one who made us attend every basketball game in eighth grade because they had a crush on Alec Davidson?" He was on second string and hadn't even played that much, but Nicky dragged her to the games anyway. Nicky was convinced if she cheered him on, Alec would notice her. He didn't. Two years later, he introduced everyone to his boyfriend Eric.
"And who's the one that decided we needed to spy on Steven McMillan's date with Bianca our freshman year because she was in love with him?" Keeley continued, sending her a glare. "In the freezing rain, might I add." They had donned disguises and trailed after the couple on their bikes. However, they lost them about halfway to the restaurant. Probably because Steven was driving his dad's two door, three hundred and twenty horsepower Mustang.
Nicky had the grace to blush.
"And let's not forget about the time you were convinced Daniel Gaston was your future husband and we had to join the decorating committee so you could flirt with him."
"Okay, okay!" Nicky forfeited. "So I admit that I may have been a little boy obsessed in the past."
Keeley narrowed her eyes. "A little? I had to spend six Saturdays, blowing up balloons and hanging up streamers for dances I didn't even attend!"
A wistful expression spread over Nicky's face. "I forgot about that. That was so much fun."
"Fun for you maybe," Keeley grumbled. "You got a date out of it. I just got a large headache."
"But that's what best friends are for," Nicky said cheekily.
Keeley just huffed in response, remembering the hundreds of balloons she had to blow and tie up. It had taken hours.
"But that's besides the point," Nicky continued, "I haven't liked anyone for awhile now. You're the one with boy issues."
Keeley looked at her suspiciously. She was right. Nicky hadn't talked about any boys in the past couple of months, which was unusual for her. She always had a guy she was crushing on. Not that she was ever really serious about them. She had a tendency to fall quickly for someone and then just as quickly move on. Nicky had dated a few of her crushes in the past, but nothing ever lasted more than a few months. They always broke up before the relationship got serious.
"So, you really don't like anyone?" Keeley verified.
Nicky shrugged her shoulders. "Boys at this school have been seeming a little immature to me lately."
Keeley thought about the paint and saran wrap she found in her locker. "I know what you mean." She looked over at where her brother was eating his lunch. Curiosity ate at her. She needed to know what Zach did. "Hey, can you watch my stuff for me?"
"Of course. What's up?"
She motioned to the bleacher steps where the football players usually hung out. "I have to talk to Zach."
"Everything okay?" Nicky asked, concern echoed on her face.
"I just need to confirm something. I'll be back," Keeley tossed over her shoulder as she walked away.
The bleachers were on the opposite side of the quad, so she weaved her way through the students who were sprawled out on the grass, enjoying their lunch. Nicky and her had always joked that the reason why the football players ate at the top of the bleachers was because it made them feel like the king of the school. As she hiked up the bleachers and looked out, she knew it was no joke. One really did feel like the king of the school.
As she drew closer to the group of football players she could hear them making crude jokes. One was especially nasty and Keeley cringed. She didn't understand the appeal of sexist jokes. It was so demeaning to women. But then again, they were guys the jokes didn't degrade them. They were so caught up in their conversation they didn't hear when she approached.
"Zach," she said as she tapped him on the shoulder. "I need to talk to you." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Gavin tensing up.
"I'm busy right now Keels," Zach said a bit impatiently. "Can't we talk at home?"
"I want to talk now," she responded shortly, not backing down. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. Her twin wasn't going to worm his way out of it.
Zach stared at her for a few seconds before sighing, obviously seeing the determination in her eyes. "I'll be back," he told the guys as he rose from his seat and followed Keeley.
"Alright, what's so important?" he asked as soon as they were out of earshot from their nosy classmates.
"What did you do to Talon?"
Keeley's direct question got an immediate reaction out of Zach. His chocolate brown eyes lost all its usual warmth. "Why would you think I did anything to him?" he countered, not answering her question. "And his name is JT, not Talon."
Keeley was tempted to argue with him about Talon's name, but thought better of it. If she was going to get a straight answer out of Zach, she couldn't rile his temper. "I know you did something, Zach. I saw the duffle bag. Saran wrap? Green paint? Not exactly on the list of common school supplies."
"And so what if I did?" he prompted. "Why would it matter to you? I thought you were done with that asshole."
"I am," she lied, trying not to think of her promise to Talon. If her brother wasn't aware of it, then she wasn't going to inform him. Besides, it wasn't any of his business what happened between Talon and her. "I just don't think you should go starting anything."
Zach crossed his arms, a stern expression on his face. "JT needed to learn a lesson."
"And what lesson is that?"
"Not to mess with my sister," he instantly shot back.
Keeley sighed at her brother's protective instinct. She could handle herself. She didn't need him to step in and protect her. "My honor doesn't need defending. And even if it did, revenge isn't the way to go."
Zach ran a hand through his hair, looking exasperated. "Why do you keep taking his side? I'm your brother. You should be on my side."
Keeley rolled her eyes at him. He was acting irrational like he always did when it came to Talon. "This isn't a matter of sides."
"Yes it is! Why can't you see that?" he asked sourly. "Does he have you so wound up you can't even see what's happening?"
"Zach, I don't want to fight with you," she said in a calm voice, trying to placate him.
"Then stop being so damn naïve and open your eyes!" Zach bellowed, his voice traveling over the quad.
His attitude wounded her. She wasn't being naïve. She knew Talon wasn't blameless. He had purposefully baited her brother at the train station, but that didn't mean Zach had to retaliate. Revenge was never the answer. It would only lead to more trouble.
"He's not this nice, knight-in-shining-armor you seem to think he is. Get your head out of the books and realize that this is reality Keeley, not one of your stupid romance novels." He shook his head in disgust and stormed back to his friends, clearly finished with the conversation.
Keeley stood there, stunned by his words. Is that what her brother thought? That she was caught up in a fantasy? Slowly, Keeley made her way back to Nicky, ignoring the curious stares she was getting from people.
"Looked like a pretty intense conversation," Nicky noted as Keeley pulled out her lunch.
She barely nodded in response, still stunned by her twin's accusation. Absently, she picked at her sandwich. Her appetite had disappeared after her conversation with Zach.
"Want to talk about it?" her best friend offered. "Seemed like he was really upset with you."
Keeley scrunched her nose. "He's being completely ridiculous. He thinks I'm taking sides just because I don't want him playing pranks on Talon."
Nicky eyed her, as if gauging her mood. "Well, no offense, but I think he has a point. You do keep defending Talon."
"I do not," she insisted.
Nicky arched an eyebrow. "The guy lied to you, practically called you a slut, and you forgive him without an apology passing through his lips."
"I haven't forgiven him," Keeley adamantly stated. In her mind, Talon was still a jerk. The things he said and done had been tactless and disrespectful.
Nicky's mouth twisted into a cynical smile. "Then why would you promise to answer his phone call if you haven't forgiven him?"
"I don't know!" Keeley cried out, wondering the same thing for the past three days. How had she let Talon manipulate her into doing as he wanted? "He was there at store and he kept saying things that made me so angry. All I could think about was telling him off."
"So, why didn't you?"
"Because every time he's near me, my brain short-circuits!" Keeley remembered the way he had held her next to him at The Surf Shack. His arm had been strong and unyielding, not allowing her to escape. She should have been furious that he had manhandled her like that, but instead she felt...safe. Protected. Wanted. "His presence overwhelms me. When I'm with him, all sane, conscious thoughts flee. It's like his charisma eclipses all my emotions." She let out a frustrated sigh. "What the hell is wrong with me, Nicky?"
"I'll take teenage hormones for $200," she quipped, answering like the popular game show Jeopardy.
Keeley glared at her best friend. "I am not some hormonal teenager who is ruled by her emotions!"
"Says the girl who can't think properly when a hunky football player comes calling," Nicky retorted. "Either he's placed some voodoo hex on him or you, my dear friend, are completely hooked on him."
As much as she hated to admit it, Nicky was right. She was completely hooked on Talon. Damn hormones. He had somehow gotten past her defenses and made her like him. That's why his lies and hurtful words had cut her so deeply.
"I hate to bring this up," Nicky continued, "but have you ever considered the possibility that he's talking to you to get back at Zach?"
"The thought has crossed my mind," she reluctantly admitted.
More than once, she wondered if Talon had been using her to get information about her brother. From what she gathered, Talon was an extremely competitive individual. Over the years, Zach had complained how "JT" would use every advantage in his arsenal to win a game. He had exploited other players' injuries and weaknesses without remorse. Zach insisted "JT" was a ruthless captain, showing no sportsmanship or respect for the game.
Keeley had a hard time reconciling the Talon Zach described, and the Talon that she knew. The two characterizations just didn't mesh in her mind. She knew Talon had plenty of faults, but she couldn't picture him being so callous as to use her to gain an advantage over Zach. He still grew misty eyed over the loss of his grandfather for goodness sake! That wasn't the act of a ruthless competitor.
Mentally, Keeley sighed. Who exactly was James Talon Harrington the Fourth?
****
The question was still playing in her mind hours later as she sat on a park bench, playing fetch with Tucker.
With feigned enthusiasm, Keeley praised the big, brown dog for retrieving the ball. She picked up the slobbery toy and lobbed it across the field. She watched as he chased the ball, catching it before it started to roll down the hill. In some ways she envied him. He had such a simple life. Sleep. Eat. Play. Why couldn't her life be like that?
'If only,' she thought to herself with a pensive sigh. Tucker dropped the ball at her feet, his tail wagging with unbridled joy. She threw the ball again and leaned back, enjoying what was left of the summer sun.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell phone vibrated. Her pulse raced when she saw whose name was flashing on the screen. She let it ring a couple times before answering.
"Hey, baby doll."
Her heart caught in her throat at the simple greeting. How did he have so much power over her? It was completely unfair.
"Hello? Keeley?"
Keeley cleared her throat. "Hey," she answered coolly, despite the jump in her blood pressure. As much as he affected her, she wasn't willing to forgive and forget so easily. He still had a lot to own up to.
"Did you miss me?"
She frowned at his question. "No," she replied curtly.
He paused, taken back by her abruptness. "Are you okay?" he asked cautiously.
"Fine."
Talon blew out a puff of air. "Alright, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Is this one of those female things?"
"Female things?" Keeley repeated, not sure whether she should be offended, or amused. What female thing did he think was happening? Her period?
"Yah, you know," he said, sounding slight put out that he had to explain to it to her. "Female thing. Where you say one thing, but really mean another."
"Where did you hear this?" Keeley asked, not being able to hide her curiosity.
"My dad. He says it only gets worse as you guys age," he griped.
Keeley's spine stiffened. Well now she knew where Talon got his superiority complex.
"So what's wrong baby doll?" Talon asked.
"Nothing," she stated. "I've got to go. I'm playing with Tucker."
"Wait! Where are you at?"
"Why do you want to know?" she asked suspiciously.
"Just tell me," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.
The location left her lips before she even registered that she was responding.
"I'll be there in ten." He hung up before she could respond.
Ten minutes later, she watched as he stepped out of his truck, the large distance between him and pavement was no trouble for his long legs. Keeley couldn't help but admire him. The black polo he wore emphasized his athletic physique to a tee. The fabric stretched over his broad chest and tapered down to show off his narrow hips. He wore a pair of dark jeans, letting them hang off his hips which just the right amount of swagger.
Normally, Keeley wasn't attracted to the football types. They were usually too broad and muscular for her. She liked the sleeker guys-like soccer players or cross country runners. She didn't know why, but there was something about Talon that drew her.
'No person should be that handsome,' Keeley mused as Tucker ran up to him, his tail wagging happily.
"Hey baby doll," Talon greeted candidly, a charming smile on his face.
"Hey," she returned. "That's Tucker," she said as Talon crouched down and petted her happy dog.
"So you're the lucky guy that gets to sleep in her bed," he grumbled to Tucker. He picked up a bright orange ball Tucker had been playing with and threw it into the open field. He rose from the ground and sat down next to her, but made no move to talk.
Keeley fidgeted with the hem of her shirt as awkward silence descended over them. She debated whether or not she should initiate the conversation, but thought against it. He was the one who wanted to talk, not her.
"So..." he said finally, sending her a sideways glance.
"So..." Keeley parroted, keeping her eyes frontward. She was determined to not let her hormones get the better of her this time. She was sticking to her guns and not letting him out-maneuver her.
"A couple of days ago I woke up to find my truck saran wrapped."
Her head reared back. That wasn't what she was expecting him to say. "W-What?"
He nodded grimly. "Saran wrapped and the words 'Stay Away' painted on with blue paint." He paused. "Took me two hours to get it off."
"Zach," she whispered, more to herself than him.
Talon's jaw ticked. "That would be my guess." His voice was tight and controlled like he holding back his anger.
Keeley couldn't help but ask, "Is that why you haven't called me in three days? Because you were angry?"
"If you were worried baby doll, you could have picked up the phone and called me yourself."
"I wasn't worried," she rebuffed. "I couldn't care less if you were angry or not."
"Whatever you say," he responded lightly.
The propriety in his tone made her bristle. "I wasn't. And you have no right to be mad at me. Zach was the one messed with your truck. Not me."
Talon's eyes flashed. "Stop putting words in my mouth. I never said I was angry with you. You should know me better than that."
She flicked her hand in the air. "I don't know who you are JT."
Talon growled and grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers. "I told you to call me Talon."
The sharpness in his voice jolted her. She looked up and saw the importance of his request on his face. The name meant something to him. But why? What did it matter if she called him JT or Talon?
He must have seen the questions in her eyes because he gently squeezed her hand. "Just trust me," he implored.
A chill went down her spine.
Trust.
That's what it all came down to. And the fact of the matter was that she didn't trust Talon. There were too many unanswered questions. Her expression hardened as she pulled her hand free of his grasp.
He stared at his empty hand as if he couldn't believe she would pull away. "You can't honestly still be mad at me, baby doll."
Keeley looked at him in disbelief. "Yes, I can be," she told him emphatically. "You weren't honest with me Talon! And you haven't even apologized for it!"
"I don't see what the big deal is." He threw his hands up in the air. "I'm still the same person. So what if people call me JT instead of Talon?" He pounded his chest. "I'm still me!"
"If it wasn't a big deal, then why didn't you tell me you were JT in the first place?" she countered, growing angry at his dissent.
Talon pinched his lips together in a tight line.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," she clipped, her voice dripping with bitterness.
A fierce light flared in his eyes. "It's not like that!"
Keeley snorted and looked away. It was exactly like that. He had purposefully kept his identity a secret from her. He may try to pretend that being JT wasn't a big deal, but it was.
Talon grabbed her chin and tilted her head back, forcing her to look at him. She tried to resist, but the fierceness in his eyes stilled her. "Do you remember that first night we talked? The night we ended up swapping phones?"
Slowly, Keeley nodded. "Some of it."
"Well, I remember every minute of it," he declared, his voice thickening. "I remember every word you said to me. You were brash, catty, and annoying as all hell."
Keeley stiffened.
Well!
If he felt that way, he could just walk himself right into the Pacific Ocean.
"I should have hated you, but I didn't. I remember thinking how different you were from other girls I knew. You weren't afraid to stand up to me, and tell me how it was. I liked it. I liked arguing with you. I liked getting you all riled up. You didn't agree with me just because I was some football star. So, when you asked me my name, I panicked."
Keeley gave him a look. "You panicked?"
"I know I have a certain reputation-"
Keeley snorted. That was an understatement.
"-and it's not like I haven't earned that reputation, but I was tired of the same old thing," he said, ignoring her sound of disbelief. He dropped his hand from her chin and let it trail down her arm till he was holding her hand again.
Keeley tried to ignore the tiny thrill of adrenaline that sparked through her veins at his touch.
"And then you came and it was like a breath of fresh air. I was afraid if I told you I was JT, you would change. That you would start acting like those other girls that clung to me."
She rolled her eyes at the mention of his other girls. He probably had a whole harem of them at his beck and call.
He grabbed her chin again, forcing her attention back to him. "So no," he insisted, his voice raw with emotion, "I can't apologize for not telling you I was JT, because I'm not sorry." His blue eyes glowed with intensity.
The genuineness of his statement pulled at her heartstrings. It was possibly the sweetest non-apology she had ever received.
He slid his hand back till he was cupping her cheek, his fingers tangling with her hair. "What I can apologize for, is what I said to Zach at the train station." He paused and swallowed hard. Pride and shame going down slowly. "I'm sorry Keeley, for saying those things. I never meant to hurt you."
"Then why did you?" she whispered.
"Because I'm an idiot."
His blatant statement made the ends of Keeley's mouth curl up. At least he could admit it.
"But I'm not sorry for this." His thumb gently caressed her skin, while his voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Not sorry for getting to know you, baby doll."
Her heart pounded rapidly beneath her ribs. Did he really feel that way? Could she trust his words? "How long have you known that I'm Zach's sister?"
He pulled away and leaned back into the bench, all his warmth leaving her skin. "Since we exchanged phones at the coffee shop," he told her, his eyes roaming to Tucker who was busily chasing after a squirrel.
Keeley felt a prickle of apprehension at his withdrawal. He hadn't just withdrawn physically; he had done it emotionally too. She watched as crossed his arms over his chest. The unspoken tension in his body was more noticeable that way. She could practically see how tight his muscles were.
"Are you using me to get back at my brother?" she asked, voicing her deepest fear.
Talon whipped around, his eyes wide. "What?"
"You heard me," Keeley said softly, her eyes never leaving his.
"Baby doll, I've known for awhile now, who you were. In that time, have I ever asked you about him or shoved our relationship in his face?"
"No," she whispered, searching his face for any signs of guilt.
Talon didn't even blink. "Well then?"
She nodded her agreement, although she couldn't quite quell the uneasiness expanding in her stomach.
Talon stretched out his legs and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her back into his embrace. "If you're worried about Zach, we can just keep it a secret."
Keeley pulled away from him. "I haven't forgiven you yet, Talon."
Baffled, Talon ran a hand over his face. "I've apologized. I've explained. How can you not forgive me?"
"You lied to me. You hurt me! It doesn't just magically disappear because you want it to!"
Talon looked at her as if an alien had invaded her body. "Is this another female thing?"
Keeley sighed. "I feel like I had the rug pulled out from under me when Zach said you were JT. I thought we had grown closer over the weekend and then suddenly, you weren't who you said you were. It made me realize we don't really know each other. We're virtually strangers."
Talon shrugged his shoulders. "So, we get to know each other," he said matter-of-factly.
Keeley scowled. Did he always take things in stride? "It's not that easy!"
"Yes, it is. You are making things overly complicated." Talon ran a finger over her brow, smoothing out the lines. "Stop thinking, baby doll."
"Don't order me around."
He sent her a sly grin. "But I like it when you get feisty."
Keeley glared. "That's not saying much. You like everything."
"Be a lover baby doll, not a hater," he drawled as he looked down at his watch.
"You have to go?" she guessed, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Even though she hadn't completely forgiven him, she didn't want him to leave. She liked talking with Talon.
Talon rose from his seat, towering over her. "Don't get clingy, girlfriend. It's not attractive," he chided.
"I am not your girlfriend!" she hotly denied.
Keeley sucked in a breath when Talon leaned down and brushed a quick kiss across her nose. It was as light as a feather, but the gesture resonated deeply within her.
"Not yet," he teased with a mischievous wink and walked away. He was about halfway to his car when he called out, "Oh and Keeley?"
"Yah?"
"Friday night. Eight o'clock."
Keeley stared at him in confusion. "Is that suppose to mean something to me?"
"It should. It's when I'm picking you up for our first date."