Bait (Wake, #1)(66)

“I'll start college this winter actually.”

“Are you serious? No break?”

“I just had a break in the summer and there will be Christmas break in between. It won't really change anything, I'll still live at home with Mom and Dad. I'll just go to City College for classes instead of Balboa High. It'll give me a jump start for my freshman year,” she explained.

My little, baby sister was about to start college. That was weird. “Will you leave after that?” I should have encouraged her to go out into the world, like I had Audrey, but Morgan was the baby. I selfishly wanted her to stay at Dad and Carmen's for another few years.

She shrugged.

“I haven't decided. I might just stay in the Bay. Go to UCSF. It's ridiculous to pay for out of state college when I have amazing schools in my backyard. I can live at home and save even more money. I could volunteer more that way.”

I looked at my little sister like she was a tap-dancing pigeon. She laughed at my expression as we were touching down in Seattle.

“It's called growing up, Casey. I want to be a responsible adult.” Her face was so genuine and proud. It was amazing watching these two girls turn into such cool young women. Audrey was at art school, passionate and driven by her every feeling.

Morgan was motivated by her conscience.

“Have a little fun, too. Okay? You're making me look bad,” I teased as I helped her get her carry-on out of the over-hear compartment.

“I will, Casey.”

As we walked through SeaTac to find Audrey, who was meeting us there, I powered my phone back up.

Honeybee: I'm at the Hotel Max.

Me: What? I thought you were in town?

Morgan was planning on staying with Audrey and I was going to get a room near campus. In my head, I imagined that I'd see Blake. Get a coffee or take a walk or something. It sucked to think that I'd missed her.

Missing her was a full-time job.

Honeybee: I am. I'm at the Hotel Max. It's near Cornish.

Oh, shit. I was wrong. She hadn't left. She'd got a room.

“Yes!” I shouted as we walked from our terminal to baggage claim. I even did the fist-pump victory move, usually only reserved for scoring in sports. But it finally felt like I'd won something. She took a step toward me, and on her turf nonetheless. There was finally a point on the us side of the scoreboard and that was one less for them.

“What is that all about?” Morgan said, rubber-necking to see her brother acting like a fool in the airport. Her curly, blonde ponytail swinging as she teetered between watching where we were going, for the both of us, and looking at me for a clue as to what was so awesome.

“I'm meeting up with...my friend,” I answered her finally.

Her face looked skeptical, but she smiled. “Must be some friend.”

Me: I'm going to have dinner with the girls then I'll be there. What room?

Honeybee: 1002

Dinner could not have gone any damn slower. I loved my sisters, but they were in their own world talking about people I didn't know and things I didn't much care about. Well, I might have if I didn't know that a woman I'd been dreaming about was waiting for me only minutes away. In a hotel room.

I don't know why Blake did it, but I wasn't about to question it.





Friday, November 14, 2008


I ASKED MYSELF OVER and over, what the hell was I doing?

My logic was simple. My family was at early holiday party, which I’d bailed out of days before. And Grant would be working late. He said earlier he was going home after his last showing and that he wanted to work on the house the next day. He was expecting me to be there, too.

We only had one night. But we still had one whole night.

He wouldn't even know I was gone. Still, inviting Casey to my apartment seemed wrong on so many levels. I doubted that anyone would just stop by. That would've been weird. I was already having a hard time thinking about him when I shouldn't be. When I really shouldn't be. I didn't need a constant reminder of him in my home.

A hotel was a better plan. It was safe. It should have felt wrong and dirty, but it felt right and I was excited to see him. It had been a while.

I paced the room.

He'd sent a text when he landed and had planned to eat dinner with his sisters. That was kind of sweet, I thought. He was a great brother. He talked with his sisters all the time and if they called when we were on the phone, he always switched over to get their calls instead of letting it go to voicemail.

I don't really know what about that made me like him more, but it did.

I had to leave my brothers voicemails all of the time. They could learn a thing or two from Casey. When I thought about it, I never really had to leave Casey voicemails either. That made me smile. He made people feel important.

I checked my face in the mirror. Where that morning I looked run down, at that moment I appeared awake and alert. I felt excited and nervous but in a good way. Every time I thought I heard a sound at the door I felt a flutter inside me that sent tingles, like little air bubbles, through my veins.

Then it was the real thing. It was him.

After he knocked again, I peeked through the peephole to see him standing in front of it with a Cheshire cat-like smile. His hands were behind his back and his hair was the perfect mess. His tall slim figure was wearing jeans, chucks, and a loose, black and white striped V-neck T-shirt. He looked edible.